Andy Derks

Owner

plainfieldpitbullsrc@gmail.com

I have been coaching XC and Track at Plainfield North for 13 years. Our Boys team has placed in the top 4 at state each of the last two seasons in cross country (4th in 2022, 2nd in 2023), and we qualified for Nike Team Nationals in 2023 where we placed 15th in the nation.

In 2023 we combined our boys/girls programs in cross country, so I have also been the girls XC coach for the past year. Our girls had their best ever finish at the state meet this year, and I am extremely proud of the PNXC Family culture that is being created. In addition to coaching, I am also a lifelong runner, having completed ~15 marathons with a personal best time of 2:26:12 at the 2007 Green Bay Marathon and a 53rd place finish at the 2012 Chicago Marathon.

I was an Illinois Class A state champion in the 1600m run in high school (1998), and went on to run collegiately for Eastern Illinois University. In addition to my own running and coaching, I am the proud father of two daughters who run (Madison, 15, who runs track and xc at Plainfield North, and Drew, 9, who is developing a love for running and also participates on the Pitbulls team).