Amoni’s Athletic Accomplishments at Oak Forest Stand the Test of Time

The high school accomplishments of current varsity girls tennis and girls track coach Erica Amoni have become a daily reminder for the athletes Amoni coaches.

Team and individual photos that feature Amoni, a 1995 Oak Forest graduate, and others from her playing era line the walls of the school’s lunchroom. One of those photos, featuring Amoni and her SICA championship tennis teammates, is located near the microwave.

“The kids always joke with me now. They say, ‘Every time I heat up food, I see you, Coach,’ ” Amoni said.

It’s just like old times for Amoni in many ways. The four-year letter-winner in two sports has become a coaching veteran at her alma mater.

Amoni just completed her 11th season as the Bengals’ girls tennis coach and has been the girls track head coach the past seven seasons after serving as an assistant. She also is in her eighth year of teaching fourth grade at , half a mile from the high school.

Her assistant tennis coach always has been her father, John Amoni, who introduced her to the sport.

“I wasn’t sure how it would play out because I was interested in coaching,” Erica Amoni said. “In college, I envisioned possibly coaching against my dad, but I guess it worked out that we’re coaching together. It’s how it’s meant to be.

“I enjoy the experience. I’m proud of it. I’m able to say I’m part of the school as a student, athlete and now a coach, keeping the tradition that the school has built.”

Amoni has been around tennis since an early age, through lessons and playing with the family. In junior high, she began competing in track and basketball, which she continued her first two years at Oak Forest.

With the Bengals, Amoni was a four-year letter-winner in both tennis and track. She was part of four SICA team championships in girls tennis, the last two with the varsity. In 1994, she won doubles, with Kelli Kuiken, at the SICA meet.

In track, Amoni was a middle- to long-distance runner who also competed in the hurdles. She laughs about throwing the discus as a freshman.

She was part of the conference championship lineups for the 1,600-meter relay in 1993 and the 3,200 relay in 1994.

“I tell the kids and parents I went to school (at Oak Forest) and the things I was involved in so they have a background,” Amoni said. “I don’t make a big point about everything I did. It’s more they look you up in old yearbooks and they’ll say, ‘I can’t believe you did all of that stuff.’

“I might make a comment here and there, but I guess it’s not something I go to on a regular basis. Kids ask me about things or how it was. I have memories of different things, different races and maybe a good run. Things come back to me. As you are back walking the same halls now and then, a new memory comes up or a new recollection takes place.”

Some of the new memories seem like old times. John Amoni has been a tennis coaching fixture in the south suburbs for many years, first at and then at , coaching against his older daughters—Erica and 1992 Oak Forest graduate Amy. John remembers one particularly challenging scenario at sectionals when Andrew’s doubles team defeated Amy and her partner with a state berth on the line.

After his wife died in 1997, John moved to Oak Forest and coached youngest daughter Andrea, a 1999 graduate, for her final two seasons as an assistant coach. All three daughters graduated in the top 10 of their class, with Andrea the valedictorian.

“My wife had said, ‘Go ahead and do it.’ It kind of brought everybody a little bit closer together,” John said. “When (Erica) was in college, I knew she wanted to be a teacher, but she wanted to do elementary (teaching) and it’s pretty difficult to make the transition from an elementary job into a high school.”

But it happened. Erica Amoni rejoined the tennis program after graduating from DePauw University (Greencastle, Ind.). She had a wonderful time at the Division III school and earned a degree in elementary education with a minor in French. She also was a resident advisor, involved in student government and was part of a volunteer organization. She competed in tennis and track for the Tigers as a freshman but only continued with track her final three seasons.

“I was a Tiger in college. I’ve been black and gold for a lot of years,” Amoni said. “I always thought I would play tennis more than run track. It worked out that I enjoyed the track team a little bit more.”

COMING THURSDAY: Find out how Erica Amoni made the transition back to Oak Forest and what it’s like for her to work with her dad.