URBANA — Let me tell you the tale of Duncan Coady’s most excellent adventure.
The Urbana 8-year-old is finishing third grade at Yankee Ridge Elementary. His school year included games, meets and tournaments involving University of Illinois athletics.
Josh Whitman’s program offers a combined 21 sports for men and women. Duncan went to see them all.
Accompanied by his willing assistant/grandfather John — who Duncan calls “Papa” — they attended at least one event for each team. Duncan’s grandmother Kathy (aka “Mimi”) often went with them.
Honestly, sounds like a dream for grandparents. And a year Duncan will always remember.
John and Kathy are UI alums and longtime season ticket holders in football and men’s basketball. Currently living in Taylorville, where John is a retired judge, they happily made the many trips back to their college town.
John, a 1970 Taylorville High School graduate, earned his Illinois undergrad degree in ’74, then went to Ohio State University for law school during Archie Griffin’s Heisman Trophy years. Good timing, though he makes it clear he did not root for the Buckeyes.
“My blood runs orange and blue,” John said.
The 21-event tour started Sept. 7 with Illinois football hosting — and defeating — No. 19-ranked Kansas at Memorial Stadium.
It was the first of the nine ranked Illinois opponents the Coadys saw, including a pair of No. 1 teams. Illinois men’s basketball hosted No. 1 Tennessee on Dec. 14, and Mike Poeta’s wrestling team met No. 1 Penn State on Feb. 16.
The Coadys did see a national champion — with Penn State rolling to its fourth consecutive wrestling title at the NCAA meet in Philadelphia — as well as plenty of Illinois success, including the men’s golf team tying Oklahoma State for first in the NCAA regional at Atkins Golf Club, which was their last event.
Origin story
Duncan is one of Darcy and Craig’s six kids and the second from the youngest. Craig is a minister at Christ Community Church.
What did Darcy and Craig think of the idea?
“It’s a really sweet thing,” Craig said. “I think it’s a fun thing for a young guy to do with his grandpa. It’s something they’re never going to forget. My wife and I were all in favor.”
Traveling is not a new experience for the Coady family. Before moving back to Illinois, Craig and Darcy were missionaries in China for about a decade. Duncan’s older siblings were all born in China.
Duncan’s next adventure might be his first trip to China.
“We would love that,” Craig said. “I think we’ll get there someday.”
Craig and Darcy are both UI alums, like Craig’s parents.
Their oldest, Hudson, is currently attending the UI, and second child and recent Urbana High School grad Grace is on the way in the fall.
In the works
John Coady had been kicking around the idea of an all-encompassing sports season for a couple of years.
“I really do enjoy Illinois sports and thought it would be a fun experience,” John said.
John was recently a member of the UI Athletic Board, serving from 2021 until his term ended May 8.
“The Athletic Board is more than about the three major sports; it’s about 21,” John said.
He told his family this was the year to see them all. And asked if anyone wanted to join him.
Duncan’s mom encouraged him to give it a try.
“We saw it as a quest,” John said. “From the start, we said it was to do ‘grandfather and grandson relational activities.’”
It would have been something John might have liked to try when his own kids were growing up. But it is 79 miles from their home in Taylorville to the UI campus. Fine for a Saturday football game but a bit tougher to make during the week.
“We were all about Illini sports,” John said. “All my kids, by the time they were 5, knew all the words to all the Illini songs.”
Now, it is the grandkids’ turn. Duncan is at an age where he appreciates watching sports and hanging out with his grandparents.
John and Kathy started the planning for the year last summer.
For sports like basketball and baseball, there were numerous scheduling options.
But there weren’t many in-season events for men’s and women’s golf and track and field.
They went to West Lafayette, Ind., to watch the women’s golf team compete.
“It turned out to be a great thing,” John said.
They finished the tour at the NCAA men’s golf regional, hosted by Atkins Golf Club. Very convenient.
To check the indoor track box, the Coadys went to the Big Ten meet at Fall Creek Pavilion in Indianapolis.
At an outdoor track meet held at Demirjian Park, the public-address announcer asked for all elementary school children to run a special 100-meter dash.
“(Duncan) was so excited about that,” John said.
Duncan finished second, the proud Papa said.
The race made an impression on Duncan. Another lifetime memory, with the crowd cheering the runners as they crossed the finish line.
“You’re not really thinking about it,” Duncan said. “You’re really just running as fast as you can.”
Track runs in the family. His older siblings participate in the sport.
What was Duncan’s favorite sport?
“Men’s gymnastics,” Duncan said. “All the events were going on at once. If you didn’t like one, you could watch another.”
Good call by the aspiring teacher.
A few other special moments stand out.
During a women’s golf tournament at Purdue, Illinois senior Lexana Halama stopped to chat with the Coadys.
At men’s tennis, Kenta Miyoshi, a member of the UI Athletic Board, took pictures with Duncan and John.
Lifelong Illinois fans, John and Kathy make sure to include all the grandkids whenever possible. Four went to Milwaukee this year for the first two rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament to watch Illinois.
“We make an effort,” John said. “My relationship with my grandkids, like so many grandparents, is really important to me. I look actively for ways to strengthen the relationships.
“When this idea occurred to me, I thought it had the potential to be a good thing. It exceeded all expectations.”
Duncan agreed.
“It was very exciting,” he said. “I would highly recommend it to other people too.”
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