Illinois Golf Team Wins State Title for Retiring Coach

After finishing second at the state tournament two years in a row, the Evanston Township High School golf team finally broke through with a dominant championship win. And they did it for a coach who gave everything to see them succeed.

The Wildkits won the Illinois Class 3A state championship by 10 strokes in Bloomington this weekend, setting a state record with a 36-hole total of 581. That's just 5 over par across four players and eight rounds of golf over two days.

The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Head coach Jed Curtis is retiring after two decades leading the program, and he'd already retired from teaching last year. This season, he commuted all the way from his new home in Michigan just to coach the team one final time.

"I'm very grateful for the opportunity of having a career in coaching in a community that I love and in a community that loves me back," Curtis said after the win.

Over 20 years, Curtis built more than just a championship program. He created a family culture where the journey mattered as much as any trophy. The Wildkits had become one of Illinois' elite golf programs over the past five years, but those heartbreaking second-place finishes made this victory even sweeter.

The Ripple Effect

Curtis's impact goes far beyond the record books. His philosophy centered on connection and teamwork in an individual sport, teaching young athletes that relationships matter more than medals.

"It's the bond that they will remember," Curtis explained. "These trophies come and they go. Riding the bus and eating at Chipotle and being together, that's what's going to last. That's what matters."

His players repaid that devotion with a performance that will stand in Illinois high school golf history. They didn't just win; they shattered the previous state record, proving that culture and championships can go hand in hand.

After two decades of early mornings, long bus rides, and countless hours on the course, Curtis gets to walk away knowing his final team achieved something no other Evanston golf team ever had. And those players will carry his lessons about teamwork and gratitude long after the trophy tarnishes.