Ex-McHenry coach Tim Paddock takes over at Woodstock North

Tim Paddock’s run of 25 consecutive seasons as a high school boys basketball head coach surprisingly ended eight years ago.

Now that he’s back in the game at Woodstock North, which recently approved his hiring, he can’t contain his enthusiasm.

“I’m just so excited, as you can probably tell with how fast I’m talking,” Paddock said with a laugh.

Paddock, 57, stepped down as McHenry‘s coach in 2017 after a 13-year run that included two Class 4A regional championships and a 144-222 record. His last season was his best, record-wise, as the Warriors went 18-12.

He resigned for personal reasons, including a 30-mile-plus commute from his home in Geneva to McHenry, where he is in his 22nd year as a driver education teacher. While he still resides in Geneva, circumstances have changed in his personal life.

He and his second wife, Christie, will celebrate their third year of marriage in September.

“This has been beyond belief, this entire process,” Paddock said. “I’m just fortunate. My wife, Christie, was encouraging me to interview and get back into coaching and refind my passion. That was one huge factor.”

Paddock was drawn to Woodstock North specifically, in part because of his relationship with first-year athletic director Derek Crabill. Crabill was on Paddock’s staff when McHenry won a regional title in 2009.

“He and I became friends,” Paddock said. “When he became the AD, I was happy for him.”

Crabill is happy to have Paddock, who becomes the Thunder’s fifth boys basketball coach since the school opened in 2008 and started playing varsity sports the following year.

“We are extremely excited to have Tim Paddock as the person leading the Thunder boys basketball team,” Crabill said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to Woodstock North, and he has been successful, in basketball and positively molding young men, in every program he has been in.”

Paddock replaces Woodstock North graduate and former Thunder star basketball player Josh Jandron, who stepped down after his team went 5-24 in his second season. Paddock said former players, coaches and friends have reached out to congratulate him since his hiring, and that has meant a lot to him.

“I’m so humbled and honored,” Paddock said. “It’s just brought so much back to my life. I’m just so grateful for the opportunity, and I’m going to try hard to make the most of it.”

He never lost his passion for coaching.

“I was always hoping for another opportunity,” Paddock said.

When other coaching jobs became available, however, they didn’t check the right boxes for him.

“Woodstock North did,” Paddock said. “It all happened rather quickly. ... I had been coaching for 25 years, and [resigning from McHenry] gave me a chance to regroup, reflect.”

Paddock has two more years until he retires from teaching. He started his head coaching career at Lowpoint-Washburn (1992-1997), before spending seven years at St. Bede Academy (1997-2004) in Peru.

The 1985 graduate of Centralia (which is about 60 miles east of St. Louis) has not coached since stepping down at McHenry.

“When [the interview process] first started, I was like, ‘Ah, I don’t know,’ ” Paddock said. “But once I started preparing for the interview, everything came back. It felt right, it felt good.

“The interview was great. When it was over, I was like, ‘Whatever happens, happens. It was fun to talk basketball again.’ ”

Paddock hasn’t yet met his players, many of whom play spring sports. Basketball camp is right around the corner, however.

“I’m just glad they have so many multi-sport athletes,” Paddock said. “Let them play their sport. Let them concentrate on what they’re doing.”

He can’t wait to get started.

“I’m just so excited right now, maybe even more so than I ever was,” Paddock said. “It’s just been a huge blessing, and I’m just so thankful.”