When Dan Hussey arrived at Fenwick High School, Oct. 5, he thought he was attending a coaches meeting. Instead, the longtime assistant coach of the Friars’ boys and girls soccer teams was surprised by his family and student-athletes. Along with Joe Trost, a longtime prep sportswriter in the Chicago area, they presented Hussey with the National Making A Difference On AND Off The Field Award for this month. The award is presented by Buddy’s Helpers, an organization that, according to its website, “engages students, families, schools, and communities in different community-service enhancement projects. It also honors and surprises students, school, and community leaders in large special recognition events to indirectly reinforce the importance of working together.”
As the winner of the award, Hussey gets two tickets to see his favorite Chicago sports team play in person. Moreover, he gets a check to donate to his favorite local charity.
Following the ceremony, Hussey told Wednesday Journal he was humbled by the honor and didn’t suspect anything was going on until that morning.
“I know [Trost] goes on doing this stuff, and I hoped in my head that he never does it to me,” Hussey said. “It’s not about me, it’s about the kids, and I’d much rather see them celebrated than me.”
Hussey, 67, is an architect and the founder and president of Hinsdale-based Daniel Hussey Architects. He has been Fenwick’s head freshman girls basketball coach since 2003 and an assistant coach for both the boys and girls varsity soccer teams since 2010.
He is also an assistant professor at Judson University in Elgin and served as athletic director at St. John of the Cross Parish School in Western Springs from 2005 through 2014.
“It’s a great honor,” said Hussey. “I do it for the kids. I’ve been involved in youth sports for 40-something years, and whenever anybody asks when I have a big decision to make, I always say, “What’s the best decision for the kids?” Not just the best players, but all of them. It’s been fun; it’s been a nice run and Fenwick’s been pretty good to me over the years.”
Fenwick boys soccer senior defender Luca Ponzio, who was among Hussey’s current players attending the ceremony, said, “Coach Hussey has been around here for a long time. He puts a lot of time and effort into the program, helping organize team events. For our 9/11 game, he helped to get us camel warmup jerseys and organize a ceremony before the game, and I think it’s nice he gets an award to show how much he does for all of us.
“He doesn’t do anything for himself,” Ponzio added. “He’s putting his time into helping make Fenwick soccer better.”
Craig Blazer was pleased that Hussey is being recognized.
“Dan has been an amazing, humble leader of Fenwick boys and girls soccer,” Blazer said via text. “He is a true blessing, and a wonderful example of living the Fenwick mission to lead, achieve, and serve.”
Hussey, whose five children all graduated from Fenwick, survived a major health scare in 2015. But he has since recovered and is not ready to call it quits yet, seeing the school as being a second home.
“It’s been very nice around here,” Hussey said. “I like the fact that both [Fenwick athletic director Scott Thies and assistant athletic director Tracy Bonaccorsi], when I talk to them, they listen. They know I’m not coming from a place of anger; I’m doing it for the kids.”
Of the past student-athletes he has coached, he said, “I’d like to think that I helped shape their futures. I stay in touch with them through LinkedIn and I love to see them post their accomplishments and see where they are.”
For more information about Buddy’s Helpers, visit buddyshelpers.org.