West Chicago Community High School is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). However, WEGO does not offer every sport sanctioned by the IHSA, including esports, bowling, lacrosse, hockey, water polo, and gymnastics. The absence of these programs can affect students who wish to participate in those sports through their school.
Some high schools in surrounding areas participate in these IHSA sports. For students, the ability to compete for their own school can provide opportunities for involvement beyond athletics, including school representation and community connection.
“I think it’s super important to play for your community, play for what West Chicago represents, and the people here,” assistant girls’ and boys’ varsity soccer coach Dorian Corrasco said. “For me, playing here, growing up here, there was no better feeling than lacing up, putting on the West Chicago jersey, and hearing the announcer call my name.”
For students whose sports are not offered at WEGO, that experience is not always available, limiting opportunities for participation at the school level.
Senior Sean Blickham, who has participated in competitive bowling for about five years, said offering bowling as a high school sport could help students develop skills such as patience, adjustment, and teamwork.
“It’s a fun, calm sport that anyone can play,” Blickham said.
WEGO continues to look for ways to increase student involvement, and expanding athletic opportunities could provide additional outlets for students, according to Blickham.
“Students could benefit by having something new to try, since not many people bowl regularly,” Blickham said. “Students can also earn scholarship opportunities through tournaments or colleges with bowling teams.”
Wheaton Academy senior Cason Coss, who lives in the WEGO district, has played lacrosse throughout his high school career. Because lacrosse is not offered at WEGO, Coss chose to attend a private school to continue competing in the sport.
“WA lacrosse has given me the opportunity to grow physically and spiritually while also backing me with high-level teaching and future planning,” Coss said. “We got third place last year across the entire state, and this year we have even higher expectations. Our team was able to represent our school by showing Christ-centered attitudes and living as servants by helping others around us.”
WEGO previously offered a Special Olympics Unified Basketball team, organized by counselor Gavin Engel and chemistry teacher Krysta Schoenbeck. While Unified Basketball is an IHSA-recognized activity, the program at WEGO functioned more as a club, focusing on fundraising and community engagement.
“It was still great to see the kids get into it, you know, really be a part of, like, the team and the spirit and all that good stuff,” high school counselor Gavin Engel said.
According to Engel, the program ran for several years before he and chemistry teacher Krysta Schoenbeck stepped away due to time commitments. Parents then took over leadership of the team and continued running it for several more years until the program ended around the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some students have expressed interest in seeing the Unified Basketball team return.
“Special Olympics basketball would be great to watch, and I would definitely come out and support them,” senior varsity basketball player AJ Rotger said.
Reintroducing Unified Basketball could provide another opportunity for student involvement and connection within the WEGO community.
According to assistant athletic director Brittany Abidishi, there has not been enough interest expressed to follow through with the addition of these IHSA sports at West Chicago Community High School.
Extracurricular activities play a role in student engagement, and the availability of varied options can influence how connected students feel to their school.
“It’s nice for students to come out, support one another, and feel pride in representing West Chicago,” Carrasco said. “Sports help students connect with people they might not otherwise meet, and that sense of connection can last beyond the season.”
Revision
Jan. 21, 2026. This article was updated to change the featured image to better provide the topic of the article.
Revision
Jan. 22, 2026. This article was revised to add in aditional comments from Brittany Abdishi.
