Stumpe honored as SICA Coach of the Year
<span>Jennifer Baldwin-Stumpe has been honored by her fellow coaches of the Southern Illinois Coaches Association (SICA) as the Girls Track and Field Coach of the Year.</span>
<span>The honor was initially announced during early June, but the actual award was not bestowed until the annual SICA Track and Field banquet this fall.</span>
<span>Stumpe is in her 10th year of teaching in the Chester school district and has coached track for 15 years either as a head or assistant coach.</span>
<span>In her earlier years, she served as assistant to Jack Herschbach at Chester High School then continued to serve under Mike Coffey when he was the Yellow Jacket head track coach at CHS.</span>
<span>Stumpe's honor as SICA Coach of the Year is primarily based on her success during the 2015 season. It was during this time that her team accomplished its fifth consecutive Black Diamond Conference championship.</span>
<span>The Lady Yellow Jackets also took home their second consecutive sectional title.</span>
<span>"We also won the Nashville Invitational track and field meet for the last two years," Stumpe said. "That is a very prestigious meet with lots of good competition."</span>
<span>CHS also sent 10 athletes to the IHSA state meet at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Stadium. "I couldn't have done it without the help of my assistant coaches and the hard work of the girls," Stumpe said. "We have developed a very strong program which has earned a lot of respect and experienced a lot of success."</span>
<span>Stumpe praised her assistant coaches for all they do toward the success of the Lady Yellow Jacket program - Curt Gilpin (Jumps and Sprints), Jim West (Throws), Connie Clendenin (Throws) and Troy Clendenin (Pole Vault), Chad Koenegstein (Hurdles) and Shane Sullins (Throws).</span>
<span>"I am really excited for the upcoming 2016 season. We will have a young, but very talented team," Stumpe said. "Our girls will work hard. We have several returning seniors to set the tone and lead the Lady Jackets."</span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-ab19660e-2314-2fb7-443e-108e4303cac3"><span>Chester will start training soon for the 2016 Indoor Season, which primarily takes place during the month of February.</span></span>