Although he was a big athlete in high school, Jim Rucks never expected to end up coaching football for high school athletes. Even though he was a three sport athlete in college, Rucks never anticipated making a living out of his talents. Now, as a coach at Rolling Meadows, Rucks is going to be inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches’ Hall of Fame.

Rucks was a very gifted athlete throughout his entire high school and college careers. However, he attributes much of his success to his father, Wally Rucks. Not only did his father help him grow into a very accomplished athlete, he also coached Rucks’ high school football team.

“He was always there for me to help me. He showed me how things should be done when I played for him in high school,” Rucks said.

Rucks was a coach for 28 years at Hoffman Estates High School and decided to then transfer to Rolling Meadows where he has been the offensive line coach for the last eight years. Matt Mishler, the current head coach of the RMHS program, used to have Rucks as a coach when he was in high school at Hoffman Estates. Mishler said that it has been a privilege to coach alongside such an experienced person.

“It’s a big deal, being fairly a new coach. The amount of experience he has is invaluable, and having him on the sideline is great because he can see stuff I might not necessarily notice,” Mishler said.

Looking back on some of the most memorable moments as a coach at Rolling Meadows, Rucks said one of his favorite

games was in 2008 when the Mustangs played Lake Zurich High School.

“Lake Zurich, 08, the playoff game. We should’ve won and we would’ve probably made a great playoff run,” Rucks said.

Rucks has coached numerous athletes throughout his coaching career and has seen athletes enter freshman year as B team athletes and end up senior year playing for the varsity team. The transformations player go through, is one of the best parts of coaching for Rucks.

“Realizing the different skill levels of kids, some kids get so much better, and still aren’t able to play, which is why we preach getting better, not getting to play,” Rucks said.

Rucks feels he has been fortunate enough to coach extremely gifted athletes over his many years as a high school football coach.

“The kids at Meadows have all been great to be around, but as a group, this past season was one of the best. The guys just bought in and came to work everyday, and thats what made it fun,” Rucks said.

Rucks is still planning on coaching at Meadows and hopes to do so for many years to come. His father was inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches’ Hall of Fame during his career as a coach and now Rucks will be right alongside his father.

“Without Coach Rucks, football wouldn’t have much of a meaning to me,” junior Jake Maloney said. “If you’ve ever met him you would understand how he makes a personal connection with each individual player. Coach Rucks is the reason I play football.”