Sprawling NFL Draft Town consumes park

Fans at Draft Town

By Tim Penman Video by Julie Woon Medill’s Draft coverage Two dozen Medill reporters are covering the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago. Check back for breaking stories all weekend. A carnival-like atmosphere marked the first-ever NFL Draft Town held in Chicago’s Grant Park on Thursday. Fans in jerseys emblazoned with every imaginable team logo strolled the […]

Evanston baseball’s arms are set to build on Historic 2014

By Tim Penman As junior pitcher Dylan Mulvihill worked out his arm on the sidelines of practice, he smiled at several Evanston teammates teasing him while flexing their muscles like Randy “Macho Man” Savage. The hard throwing righty, along with right-handed senior Russell Snapp, leads an impressive Wildkit starting rotation that aims to guide the […]

Like Mother, Like Daughter: Badminton Duo Thriving in Evanston

By Tim Penman Young players can face a multitude of issues when they compete on a team in which their parent is coach, everything from higher expectations to unclear definitions of roles. Luckily for the Evanston High School badminton team, the dynamic between coach Karilyn Joyce and her daughter Keegan hasn’t been a distraction, they […]

Evanston Sophomore Guard Draws Offers from Top Schools

By Tim Penman Clarification: An earlier version of this story incorrectly characterized Nojel Eastern as the last Evanston player since Everette Stephens in 1984 to get offers from NCAA Division I schools. Stephens should have been described as the last player to garner so much attention from Division I schools. Until the age of eight, Nojel […]

Evanston coach reflects on half a century in gymnastics

By Tim Penman Four months before his retirement, Chester Jones casually leans over a balance beam and watches his gymnasts take runs at vault inside Evanston High School’s practice area. Jones is relaxed, calling out words of encouragement to each girl in his slight Southern accent after they take turns springing off the board and […]

Little League title loss upsets some Chicagoans

Jackie Robinson Park

By Tim Penman Chicago residents are disturbed after the Jackie Robinson West Little League team was stripped of its U.S. title Wednesday. “An adult did something wrong,  not the kids,” said Ray Smith, 27, an audio-visual technician and South Side resident. “To take it away from the kids is absolutely wrong. They won it fair and square no […]