Announcement
Eric Nelson upsets Indoor Champion Ryan Michel at State Championships! York WINS Team Title!
On Thursday, May 28, 2009, Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon, Assistant Coach Jose Nebrida, Philip Nelson, and Eric Nelson traveled to Charleston, Illinois in preparation for the IHSA State Championships at Eastern Illinois University. The Mustangs stayed in an "Olympic Village" atmosphere with State Qualifiers from across the State, in Taylor Hall, which was located less than one block from the stadium. Taylor Hall was complete with a Big Screen Television, Pool tables, and a large video arcade. The Mustangs dined at Cracker Barrell, with Urban Prep High School, the night before the prelims, and had 12 oz steaks at Cracker Barrell.
On Friday, May 29, 2009, upon arrival to O'Brien Stadium, Eric Nelson was given a State Qualifier Pin from the IHSA, along with his High Jump Number. As the athletes began warm-ups for the High Jump competition, the stadium was filled close to its capacity, and spectators, fans, and Teams, had to park over a half mile away from the Stadium because of the size of the sell-out crowd. Outside the Stadium, there was a large festival of Track & Field souvenir vendors.
Northside Senior Eric Nelson jumped 6'2 with no misses in the prelims, to upset Indoor Champion, McHenry Senior Ryan Michel. Nelson did not make the finals, but ended the regular season in the State Championships. After the High Jump competition reached a conclusion, the Northside Coaching staff, Eric Nelson, and family enjoyed watching multiple State records in the Discus (State record was broken twice during the prelims by two different athletes, and once during the finals, Dan Block 205'0), and witnessed the 4x800m Relay prelims, 4x100m Relay prelims, 100m Dash prelims, 110m Hurdle Prelims, 800m prelims, 400m Dash prelims, 300m Hurdle Prelims, and the Mile Prelims. A special thanks to the Nelson Family for treating the Northside Coaching staff to lunch and for an outstanding season.
Eric Nelson is one of the greatest Track athletes in the history of Northside to ever wear the uniform. He is also the only Northside male athlete to ever win an individual IHSA Sectional Title in any sport (2008-2009, High Jump, IHSA Sectional Champion, State Qualifier).
Eric Nelson has the speed of a sprinter, the strength of a thrower, and the endurance of a distance runner. He holds the school record in the Shot Put, Discus, Triple Jump, High Jump, and the Distance Medley Relay. On a rare sprint appearance (No high jump competition at U-High Indoor Meet) in the 55m dash, he hit the provisional qualifying time for Illinois Prep Top Times (Indoor State Championships). He has also scored more points by himself at Track meets, than entire teams of 50 or more athletes, on several occasions.
It’s not the records that he holds, the city titles, the IHSA Sectional titles, and the IHSA State appearances that makes him a Champion, but the path that he took to get there that makes him a Champion.
As a Freshman, Eric Nelson won the Sophomore City High Jump Title with a jump of 5’10 and also broke the school record in the Hurdles as a Freshman. He also won the Varsity MVP award as a Freshman. The Northside Coaching staff had big plans for Nelson in the High Jump and Hurdles his Sophomore year. However, he was injured at the end of his Sophomore Basketball season, and was not able to run or jump.
Most people would have called it a season. Eric Nelson had a burning desire to not only comeback, but to help his teammates while he was injured.
However, the only Track events available to an athlete that can’t run or jump were throwing events (Shot Put and Discus). To be a thrower, it takes great strength, explosiveness, and awesome technique. It’s unheard of for a high jumper to become a thrower.
Eric Nelson was different, and was determined to help his teammates any way he could, while he recovered from his injuries. Eric Nelson spent hours in the weight room, earning a 20 pull-ups t-shirt, a 155 lbs bench press t-shirt, then a 175 lbs bench press t-shirt, and then a 205 lbs bench press t-shirt, and learned how to throw a Shot Put and Discus, all in an effort to help his teammates anyway that he could, while he was recovering from his injuries. Eric Nelson’s time in the weight room, Shot Put Ring, and Discus cage paid off, and as a Sophomore, he became the Mustangs top thrower, and broke legendary Chris Zysko’s Shot Put and Discus school records as well. When his legs healed, he was not only one of the best throwers in the City, but finished second in the Varsity City High Jump competition as a Sophomore. He also competed in the Shot Put, Discus, High Jump, and Triple Jump for the Mustangs at IHSA Sectionals as a Sophomore, and won the Northside Track & Field MVP Award.His Junior, he had the greatest Track season in the history of Northside. Imagine going to every Track meet on the season schedule, and winning every High Jump competition, breaking every stadium record, and every meet record, on your way to the State Championships. Does it sound impossible? Eric Nelson did it.
Eric Nelson improved from a Sophomore personal record of 5’10 to a Junior personal record and school record of 6’6!!! Eric Nelson was the most improved athlete in Illinois. In addition to High Jump, Eric Nelson broke school records in the Shot Put, Discus, 4x400m Relay, and the Distance Medley Relay during his Junior year. Among other awards, Eric Nelson won the Northside Track & Field MVP Award, and the Most Improved Award during his Junior year.
An Eric Nelson practice, lasts 2.5 hours, and involves many different events and coaches. Nelson spends each day of the week on a different event, and always ends the day as one of the last athletes on the Team to leave the weight room.
In November 2008, as part of a promotion to bring the Olympic to Chicago, Mayor Delay chose Northside Senior Eric Nelson to spend a day with the U.S. Olympic High Jump Champ Jamie Nieto, out of all of the athletes in Chicago.
Eric Nelson took 4th at the Illinois Prep Top Times Meet (Indoor State Championships) during his Senior year in High Jump, and helped his teammates place 8th and break the school record in the Distance Medley Relay, and reach the Medal stand for the first time in Northside history. He also won the City Indoor and Outdoor Titles in High Jump, and broke his own record in the Triple Jump on multiple occasions. On his very last throw of his high school career, he broke the Northside Discus School record as well. On his way to the State Championship, Eric Nelson once again won every high jump competition during his Senior year, and he won his second consecutive IHSA Sectional Title!
Eric Nelson has been an outstanding Captain and leader for the Northside Track program, and has earned 10 Varsity letters at Northside (4 in Golf, 2 in Basketball, and 4 in Track). He has also been a leader in the class room, earning the Academic Award for the Golf Team, and has had an impact in the community as well. On several occasions, while his teammates attended Team Tailgate parties after Track meets, Eric went instead to help out at a soup kitchen.
In Golf, his Junior year, he missed qualifying for State by one stroke, but learned from it and became a better player. His Senior year he led the Mustangs to an upset victory over Whitney Young for the City Title, and in an exciting one hole playoff to determine the individual City Champion, he won the individual Golf Title as well! “Eric understood the game within the game of golf. He understood that golf was about facing adversity and mastering your own mind. He understood the persistent pursuit of excellence determines winners, not the results of the match. To be excellent, you must be yourself. Do your very best that you can do. If you give your best every day, improvement will come naturally. Eric displayed a passion for the game and strived for excellence every day.” – Northside Head Golf Coach Chris Oehlerking.
In Basketball, it was a privilege to watch him play underneath the boards, go up for a rebound, and provide iron clad defense, that helped the Mustangs to a Conference Championship his Junior year, and an amazing 20 points comeback at the IHSA Regional tournament his senior year. It was also awesome to watch him participate in a slam dunk contest at the Pep Rally prior to Pack the Gym Night.
Eric Nelson is not only Captain of the Golf and Track Teams, but a mentor to hundreds of athletes. At practices, and meets, Eric Nelson takes the time to mentor Freshman, which is special because many seniors won’t talk to underclassman. Many thought Northside Freshman middle distance runner Fabian Lara would never jump higher than 4’0 his freshman year. But through daily encouragement from Nelson, and a lot of hard work, Fabian Lara went from 4’0 to 4’6, and has become one of the Mustangs top Freshman throwers as well. The Northside throwers always work harder and throw five feet further in his presence.
Eric Nelson also had a big impact on the growth of the Team. When the Northside coaching staff would ask new athletes what motivated them to join the team, they would answer "Eric Nelson”. Eric Nelson shares the sport with everyone at Northside and goes out of his way to invite everyone to join the team, and make everyone instantly feel welcome and a part of the Team, regardless of ability. Many athletes took up the sport during their senior year as a result of the encouragement they have received from Eric Nelson.
At the end of every practice, Eric Nelson leaves the weight room by shaking the hand of every member of the Northside Coaching Staff. Eric Nelson is one of the greatest athletes, leaders, and individuals that Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon has encountered in his coaching career.
Eric Nelson is currently a finalist for Senior Male athlete of the Year, the highest honor a Northside graduating Senior Athlete can receive. On Wednesday, June 3, 2009, the Northside administration will announce the winner of the award at noon at the Senior luncheon at the Newberry Library. It is a great honor just to be nominated, and the Northside Track Team will be pulling for him on Wednesday.
