New Trier inducts four into its Athletic Hall of Honor
WINNETKA, Ill. — December 16th was a big day for New Trier, not only for its athletic department, but for the school overall.
The day not only marked the induction of the third Athletic Hall of Honor class, but also held the last events to take place in Gates Gym, as the historic gym will be demolished to make way for new athletic and academic facilities.
The building of the new gym, which is slated to open in the fall of 2023, means all New Trier’s athletic teams will play their home contests at the Northfield campus for the rest of this year, as well as the 2022-23 school year.
But before the demolition, the school was able to induct four members into its Athletic Hall of Honor: Ben Almaguer, Gary Groh, Ron Klein and Deborah Ofcky.
Below is a biography of each of the honorees:
Ben Almaguer
Almaguer began his career at New Trier as teacher in 1955, the same year he founded the Cross-Country program. He served as the Boys Cross-Country coach from 1955-1980 (at New Trier from 1955-1964, and at New Trier East from 1965-1980); Assistant Cross-Country coach from 1981-1990; and also the Head Track and Field coach during his tenure. A Title IX pioneer, he allowed two New Trier female students to join, train, and race with the boys’ team in 1975 before founding the girls Cross-Country team in the late 1970s. Almagauer, who died in 1991, led New Trier to its only Cross-Country State Championship in 1959, a second-place finish in 1960 and third-place finish in 1962. He also led Track and Field athletes to a second-place state finish in 1964 and helped guide four additional State trophies as assistant coach. He helped found the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (ITCCCA) and was elected to its Hall of Fame in 1981.
Gary Groh
Groh, who died in 2015, was hired as a teacher in 1973, later becoming Department Chair of the Technology Education and Driver Education Departments, while serving as head coach for the Girls Golf team from 1987-2004. He coached 12 teams that qualified for the IHSA State meet, and led his team to state championships in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, including one individual state champion; four second-place finishes in 1989, 1990, 1994, and 1999; and a third-place finish in 1998. He also coached 18 All-State medalists.
Ron Klein
Klein worked at New Trier for 34 years, serving as Head Baseball Coach, Assistant Baseball Coach, Assistant Football Coach, Physical Education teacher, and adviser before retiring in 1994. Klein was elected to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1980, followed by his induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1988. He led his teams to four state quarterfinals and two IHSA Summer League Championships, and had an overall record of 967-468-7.
Deborah Ofcky
After decades of working in both the high school and collegiate settings, Ofcky transitioned into the role of Assistant Athletic Director at New Trier in 2002, also serving as Head Badminton Coach and Assistant Girls Golf Coach until her retirement in 2017. She was named the State Badminton Coach of the Year by the Illinois Coaches Association in 2010, was honored with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Distinguished Service Award in 2015, and was inducted into the Illinois Athletic Director Association Hall of Fame in 2021. She has served multiple roles with the Illinois High School Sports Association, the Central Suburban League, the IADA and the NIAAA.
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