Devoted Teacher Makes the Difference

The teacher's been at Crystal Lake Central for more than 40 years

He's no ordinary teacher. He's no ordinary coach.

Crystal Lake Central's Doug Blundy was a jack-of-all trades five years ago. He taught pre-calculus, chaired the math department, coached varsity volleyball, softball and worked as the athletic director all in one year.

The educator is taking it easy these days.

When we first met, I was a freshman student in his algebra class, but I now consider him a friend.

In 1969, Blundy arrived at my Alma mater years before I attended. He would start out teaching match. Fourteen years later, a coaching vacancy change his life and hundreds of female athletes.

Thirty-two plaques displayed on his athletic office wall showcased the champions he coached.  They represent either first place, conference championship and state ranked teams, he said.

That's pretty impressive, but he outdid himself just a few years ago.

In 2007, Blundy and his girls' varsity volleyball team made history. The team went  42-0 marching en route to the state championship.

"There's a lot more things important than just the X's and O's. You have to teach them about life and you have to teach them how to behave when they leave," he said.

Blundy joked he'll miss the students when he retires since they keep him young. He also explained that he enjoys teaching and making a difference.

"If a person is a teacher and a coach and they don't enjoy what they are doing. They are missing out on so much," Blundy said. "They don't really understand the whole idea."

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