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Celebrating 19 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Celebrating 19 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
When Joe Sanchez was a high school student in Wheeling, Illinois, he never thought he’d be living and working in Barrington. “There’s no way I could have envisioned it.” Today, he’s been here for 29 years teaching social studies and working his way up to head coach of the BHS football program in Barrington. The loves of his life are his high school-sweetheart wife, Wendy, a Barrington High School PE teacher, and daughters Ellie, now a sophomore at North Dakota State University and AJ, a sophomore at BHS. He feels so humbled and blessed to live and work here that he doesn’t have anything on his bucket list. Not a thing. But when he does recharge, his family is at the center. For this teacher and football coach—his extended family includes thousands of students, parents, coaches, mentors, colleagues, and friends. He says some of his greatest moments are when his former students reach out to tell him how they are doing in life and on the job.
Sanchez gives thanks for the role models, colleagues, and mentors in his life who helped shape his winning ways on and off the gridiron. All that he has absorbed, learned, and observed from colleagues and fellow parents, has been paid back to his community with a geometric level of impact. “Coaching and teaching for me requires mostly listening. Many get the leadership model backwards. It’s not just about talking, it’s about listening, so we can know how someone is feeling and what their concerns are. Then, we can better direct our response and be a resource for them,” he said.
As a resource for himself, Sanchez credits Russ Rausch’s VP app, Vision Pursue which is a training system for a performance mindset, with helping him become a better leader. Rausch started working with the BHS football coaches in 2015, then with the team since 2016. “The VP mantra is ‘expect the expected and control the controllable’. When you go into the classroom or onto the field, you anticipate that there will always be challenges, and with this mindset, you are better prepared to deal with it.”
Sanchez credits his parents, Bertha and Joe Sanchez, with showing each other unconditional love, and treating him and his sister Rachel Johnson with the same. “They expected us to work hard, and they realized the importance of a good education for us and our futures,” Sanchez said.
Each fall, Sanchez welcomes in a new group of football players. This year, there are over 210 boys in the program. “Our job is to figure out how to support our kids the best way we can, and we want their parents to know that we treat them as if they are our own sons,” Sanchez says of his student-athletes. “There is a short window of time we have with each player, four, or sometimes fewer years. For us, it’s about helping them become the best students, leaders, husbands, fathers—and football is our platform.” He reminds parents that it’s OK for children to have a momentary failure, so they can learn how to pick themselves back up. And that parents can help guide their children as they find their way.
On September 8, 2023, BHS Coach Joe Sanchez earned the title of the winningest head football coach in the Mid Suburban League with his 154th victory, when Barrington beat Glenbrook South 29-17. He also has two former players in the NFL—Lukas Van Ness with the Green Bay Packers, and Scotty Miller who earned a Superbowl Ring with Tampa Bay and now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sanchez looks for the good in all his students and players, and he strives for them all to learn and grow.
Having stayed in one school district for his entire career, some might call him part of a dying breed. But he’s been happy and successful here in his second hometown, and I don’t think he’d want it any other way.
I first met Joey Sanchez when my late husband Tim hired him to teach history and coach football at Barrington High School. He had just graduated from college and was very enthusiastic about making his mark. Tim was a great judge of character, and anyone he hired you knew had something special.
In the years since, we’ve watched Joey get married, raise two beautiful daughters, and find success in life, both on and off the football field. He has touched the lives of many athletes and students, including my own granddaughter, who is a sophomore at Barrington High School, class of 2027. I couldn’t be prouder. Joey and his family are dear friends and exemplary members of our community. It has been an absolute pleasure to watch his career, reputation, and life in Barrington flourish with each passing year.
I first met Coach Sanchez in the fall of 2008 when I was pulled up the varsity football team for the IHSA playoffs. From there, the rest is history. I have had the privilege of keeping in close contact with Coach Sanchez for the last 16 years after that. Joey is truly one of the most incredible people I have met in my life. Beyond his incredible passion for educating, coaching, and X’s & O’s, he is the epitome of a husband, father, and friend. When he says that he gets more joy out of preparing young men for life than he does their football success, he isn’t kidding, and he backs that up day in and day out. Personally, he and his entire family attended numerous collegiate football games of mine across the country. He took his family to Fargo, North Dakota, to come to my wedding. He has taken a genuine interest in my children’s life and my wife, Katie, and her entire family. It’s incredible. But it’s not just me. He would do it for every student he has ever taught or athlete he has coached. There is no doubt in my mind that I am where I am today, large in part, because of Joey Sanchez, and I know others would say the same. Barrington High School and the entire community is beyond lucky to have a leader like Coach Sanchez. A true champion. In life. In the classroom. And on the gridiron.
Always, Go Broncos. Barrington is forever, home.
I first met Joe in the summer of 1996. Joe was interviewing for a teaching and athletic coaching position at the high school. BHS hall of famer Robert “Chicken Man” Lange drove Joe out to the Fields of Dreams in his golf cart, where summer softball camps were in full session. From that very first day I met Joe, I just knew I had a friend for life. We worked together for eight years in the high school softball program and had fun in the process! We were in each other’s weddings, watched our kids grow up together, and now enjoy the twilight of our careers.
Joe Sanchez is a one-of-a-kind teacher, coach, and friend. His ability to make connections with his students and athletes is impressive. I am always amazed with his ability to share the right thing, at the perfect moment, to clarify the goal or task at hand. His dedication to his craft, loyalty to those that he serves, and overall thoughtful kindness makes Joe one of the best of Barrington.
Finally, his football expertise is proven year in and year out. When other communities are struggling with football participation numbers, Joe’s program is thriving! His ‘family atmosphere’ approach builds that brotherhood seen in very few football programs around the state. As the winningest football coach in Mid Suburban League history, currently standing at 163 victories to start the season, it is an honor to join him on the sidelines every Friday night for Bronco Football. As Joe explains it best, B.F.L.—Broncos For Life! I am just thankful for the 1996 summer day when I met my lifelong friend! Good luck Joe, your amazing coaching staff, and committed gridders as we tackle another season of Bronco Football!
Joe loves his family, his teaching, and his work as our football coach. He relates to his students and his players by taking a sincere interest in who they are as people and that transcends his job as teacher and coach. Each student and player who works with him can say that he tries to connect with them individually. He’ll take the time to do so, and it matters in creating the collective culture that he seeks in building his teams. Joe will spend the extra time with his students and players, and he does so because he cares. We’ve worked together for almost 30 years, and I am always energized by the joy he finds in his ‘kids’—whether they are working with him in class or playing for him on the field. He is the genuine article, and I am lucky to have him as a colleague and more importantly, as a friend.
My dad is undeniably one of the best people in my life and I truly do not know what I would do without him. I learn from him every day. He is a constant reminder of positivity and intentionality. He inspires me. As a dad, he is the epitome of selflessness, always putting his girls above himself, finding his joy in ours. As a coach, he is passionate and uplifting, he is a true leader. People gravitate to him and resonate with who he is and what he stands for. As a teacher, he is genuine and caring, cultivating connections while inspiring learning and growth. This glimpse into who Joey Sanchez is—as a son, coach, teacher, and dad—only scratches the surface of his true essence. My dad is the biggest blessing in my life. He grounds me, guides me, and gives me life. I turn to my dad in times of defeat and triumph; there is never something that he cannot guide me through. It’s impossible to fully convey how much love and gratitude I have for him.
One of the things I admire most about my dad is the countless lives he touches. From a young age, it was always evident that people had a strong connection with my dad. But when I was young, I didn’t think much of it because he was just my dad. Of course, you “love him.” Now as I am older and have time to reflect and understand the impact that he has on the people around him, it is nothing short of inspiring. To the countless people who have felt this connection with my dad whether it be as your teacher, coach, coworker, friend, or simply someone in passing, I want you to know that that connection is nothing but genuine and you are lucky enough to have someone like Joey Sanchez in your corner cheering you on and willing to provide words of wisdom with whatever you face. Ultimately, every strength and virtue I possess reflects the unwavering support and wisdom my dad has instilled in me. I am forever grateful, as his impact is woven into the very fabric of who I am.
I first met Coach Sanchez in 1999 when I was a student in his 20th Century Issues course at BHS. In the classroom, he is an engaging, warm teacher who takes the time to get to know his students. Later that year I became his player as he was the Defensive Coordinator of the varsity football team. I was never a varsity starter, and I seldom played on Friday nights. Nevertheless, Coach Sanchez made me feel like an important part of the team because of the role I played in practice helping to get my teammates ready for Friday nights. A big reason why Coach Sanchez’s program continues to attract so many players year after year is because his players understand they are each contributing in their own vital way to something bigger than themselves.
In 2007, I was hired to join Coach Sanchez as a fellow teacher in the Social Studies Department and I was fortunate he welcomed me into his program as a freshman football coach. Since that time, I have always admired his program’s emphasis on helping players become better people and better citizens, not just better players. Coach Sanchez believes, and exemplifies, that winning is the result of doing things the right way, not something to be pursued at all costs. Thousands of young men can attribute some part of who they are to the values reinforced by Coach Sanchez and his program.
I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Joe Sanchez, not just as a parent of two of my players, Ellie and AJ Sanchez (Joe’s daughters), but also as a coach who gets to see the way Joe interacts with his family regularly. From my perspective, Joe Sanchez stands out as an exceptional coach and an even better parent for several reasons.
First, Joe’s commitment to his daughters’ development is evident in their growth on and off the field. He provides unwavering support, attending games and practices, and offering encouragement and constructive feedback. This involvement underscores his dedication to their athletic and personal growth.
Joe’s approach to parenting is mirrored in his coaching philosophy. He values discipline and hard work, but also understands the importance of fostering a positive and encouraging environment. His ability to balance high expectations with genuine care helps his daughters thrive in a competitive setting while maintaining their love for the game.
Moreover, Joe’s communication skills and ability to connect with others make him a standout figure in our sports community. He is approachable and always willing to lend a hand or offer advice, creating a supportive network for players and their families.
Joe Sanchez’s excellence as a coach and parent stems from his deep commitment, balanced approach, and strong communication skills. His positive influence extends beyond his daughters, enriching our entire Barrington community.
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