As one of the oldest and most successful high schools in the state, New Trier is steeped in tradition.
A golden era of New Trier sports is upon us. New Trier High School is a public four-year high school whose main campus for sophomores through seniors is in Winnetka, Illinois, with a campus in Northfield, Illinois, for first-year classes and district administration.
New Trier Green capped its incredible season with a state championship at the United Center on March 19, their second in three years.
The victory gave New Trier Green its second straight state championship (both coming against York), sixth in the last eight seasons (no championship game in 2020) and 18th overall (since 1983).
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A History of Athletic Excellence
In 1934, the boys track and field team captured New Trier's first IHSA state title. Today New Trier leads Illinois high schools in the number of athletic state championships. With more than 120 state championships, New Trier High School has more than any other high school in Illinois.
Only one era of New Trier sports compares to the present level of success - the 1982-1983 school year. In this year, New Trier took state in boys golf, boys tennis, girls golf, and girls swimming, while capturing second in boys soccer, boys football, and girls gymnastics.
However, while I do not mean to diminish the massive accomplishments of the 1982-83 New Trier athletic department, I think it is important to recognize that these state titles were won in comparatively minor sports.
Traditions and Milestones
As one of the oldest and most successful high schools in the state, New Trier is steeped in tradition. Over the decades, the NT Booster Club has made numerous investments to ensure that New Trier's proud tradition continues.
- Seventy-six students attend the first day of school on February 4, making their way through a snowstorm to do so.
- New Trier had seven faculty in 1901.
- New Trier becomes a training ground for World War I soldiers.
- Students support the war effort whole-heartedly, raising funds for the purchase of an ambulance.
- The New Trier News publishes its first issue in 1920.
- Students sell tax warrants door to door in the early 1930s to keep the school open as the flow of property tax warrants is disrupted by the Depression.
- Students support the war effort with unprecedented enthusiasm-raising money for a B-17 bomber ("The Spirit of New Trier") and a B-29.
- The Drama-Music-Speech Building on Woodland Avenue is completed in 1950.
- The new tower building and Gaffney Auditorium replace the old tower building in 1957.
- Township voters approve a bond issue to acquire forty-six acres at Happ and Winnetka Roads in Northfield in 1962.
- New Trier West opens its doors to freshmen and sophomores in 1965.
- An all-time high district enrollment of 6,558 attends both campuses in 1972, but numbers will drop rapidly in a few years.
- Due to enrollment that continues to decline, New Trier West closes as a four-year high school in 1981.
- The Trevian replaces the Cowboy (West) and Indian (East) mascots and Echoes is renamed Trevia.
- New Trier overhauls its systems of grading (adding plus/minus letter grades), reporting class rank (decile system), and distributing the weight differentials of leveled classes.
- The new school year begins by celebrating the achievements of the past while looking forward to the future.
- Happy One Hundredth Birthday, New Trier! The celebration continues with more alumni programs and a special open house and gala ball in April.
- Library and locker rooms at Winnetka Campus undergo major renovations, and New Trier considers major new facilities planning.
- Strategic planning initiatives address several facets of students' academic, social and emotional growth.
The Rise of New Trier Hockey
New Trier Green celebrates its state championship March 13 at the United Center. New Trier Green has guys who can score.
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Cheris took over New Trier Hockey in 2023 from longtime club leader Bob Melton and said it was special to win the state title in the club’s 50th anniversary year. In Cheris’ first two seasons, New Trier Green won the coach’s trophy (first place in Scholastic Hockey League), the SHL tournament and the state championship - an accomplishment never achieved by the program. Also in those seasons, Green has gone 20-0 in the postseason (SHL tourney and AHAI state series). “That’s crazy and is what I want to hang my hat on,” Cheris said.
New Trier Green was certainly ready to go in the state championship. In the first minute, senior Aidan Nolan redirected a slap shot from Jack Savino into the net to give his team an early lead. Early in the second, Garrett Chong found Huber, who sent a wrister upper far post for Green’s second goal. Green’s Aidan Nolan, who scored a hat trick, earns MVP honors after the state championship. York found the net in the third, but Nolan tallied two more goals to earn a hat trick and put the game away.
While Green put up six goals, its defense again made an impression, like it has all season, Cheris said. All-Staters Savino and Shane Randle lead the back line and are backed by All-State goaltender Drew Durdov. Green’s defenders are imposing, as well, with multiple skating at over 6 feet 2 inches tall.
“All year our defense has been top tier,” Savino said. “We all work together super well. It’s a bunch of guys out there doing the same thing. Guys who can rush the puck up and play D.
While New Trier Green has a rich history of success, Cheris said these past two years have come with a renewed unity throughout the program.
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New Trier Hockey has five teams: Green, Blue, White, Grey and junior varsity. Since taking over, Cheris said he has preached community, asking teams to root for each other instead of forming, at times, problematic rivalries.
One way Cheris and the coaching staff addressed that is through a program of rotating games on Friday nights. The players from the other teams attend and cheer on their peers.
“The culture we established to support one another and be a brotherhood at New Trier Hockey,” he said. “People say ‘one club” now.
Brief History of High School Hockey & the Excellence of Glenbrook North
In 1963-64 The Catholic Hockey league was formed. It was the first high school league to be formed in the state. Tragically, it was the year that President Kennedy was assassinated and thus the CCHL awarded their champion, the Kennedy Cup, which is still used to this day.
1971 was the first year of High School Hockey that took place outside the Catholic League. The founding teams were York, Lane Tech, Notre Dame, Proviso West and Immaculate Conception. In 1972-1973 Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South, Deerfield, and Evanston entered the hockey picture. This new league was called Metro Hockey.
The mid 70’s saw an enormous influx of high school hockey creating a Metro North, Metro South, Metro Southwest, Near West, Northwest, and Northeast Divisions. Going into the 80’s Metro slimmed down to Metro North, Metro West and Metro Northwest. Teams would play inside their divisions for their championships. Glenbrook North competed for the Metro North Championship.
All Metro teams at the end of the season would play for either the Scholastic Cup (top half of the teams) or the Founders Cup (bottom half of the teams).
The top two teams from this round robin playoff would emerge to face the other Metro’s in a one and done scenario. Glenbrook North has won a number of Metro North Championships, and at least 4 Scholastic Cups.
GBN’s State Championship Excellence
The State Championship was started in 1973. Many of the state games including the finals were played at the Northbrook Rink. Large crowds and Blackhawk’s participation in the state tournament moved the games to the Chicago Stadium and then the United Center. Glenbrook North has excelled in the state tournaments.
GBN Varsity has appeared in 11 state championship games and has won 5 state titles. The 11 appearances and the 5 titles represent the second most in the state only behind New Trier. In the last 10 years GBN has appeared in 4 state finals and 7 final 4’s.
The Junior Varsity owns 3 state titles.
Scholastic Hockey League
In 2013 a new high school league was formed called the Scholastic Hockey League. Glenbrook North has had five recipients of this award: Todd Keats, David Rubin, Matt Dahlke, Kyle Slovis and Michael Reyderman.
The Blackhawks give out a “Blackhawk Scholarship Award” for the finest Student Hockey Player. GBN has had 3 student athletes that have won this award. There is an “All State” selection process and an all-state game played each year in Bensenville. GBN has been fully represented with 45 All Staters in the past 20 years.
The Scholastic Hockey League names a player of the year, and a First Team and Second Team “ALL SHL TEAM”. Over 25 GBN players have been named to these prestigious teams in last 9 years.
SHL also names an All-Academic Team. This is comprised of students with a GPA of 3.5 or better. GBN has a high percentage of the players making this team.
The Blackhawks, AHAI and the SHL all award a coach of the year and 4 times a GBN coach has been honored. Many of these awards are given out at the Blackhawk Banquet where all the former Blackhawks and current Blackhawks attend, along with 400 other guests.
It’s the Entire Journey
To play at Glenbrook North is a journey that builds memories and friendships forever. The success on the ice is really second to the success of the relationships built over this journey.
Tradition
The tradition and the quality of Glenbrook North Hockey is one that the entire community can celebrate.
But today, New Trier students are rallying around their sports teams like never before. Ten buses, all filled to the brim with students, were chartered to get students to Urbana-Champaign for the boys basketball state tournament. The United Center was also rocking for the New Trier Green state title bout, where mountains of white apparel cheered the team on to victory.
People often reflect on their high school days wishing that they had indulged more in school spirit. They sadly reminisce, wishing that they had gone to that football game, or joined the student section at the basketball playoffs.
If you fear that these despondent souls could become you, dear reader, I am telling you: The time is now. We are in a golden age. Embrace the school, and embrace our sports, for before you know it, the time for cheer will be over.
In 1993, the former Dads Club/New Trier Club was formally organized into the New Trier Booster Club with the creation of by-laws, board policies and registration as a 501 c-3 organization.
Sport: New Trier students benefit from numerous athletic team and intramural sports opportunities. The NT Booster Club annually engages over 1,200 students to participate in its intramural sports programs (Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Golf, Flag Football, Paddle Tennis) .
New Trier has been strong in the sport of baseball, twice as state champions, winning in 2000 and 2009.
| Sport | Number of IHSA State Titles |
|---|---|
| Boys' Swimming and Diving | 24 |
| Boys' Tennis | 19 |
| Girls' Swimming and Diving | 14 |
| Boys' Golf | 9 |
| Girls' Tennis | 9 |
| Girls' Badminton | 8 |