Legendary Coach Marilyn Wax, '68 Supports Student-Athletes and Future Teachers
By Tony Scott

Marilyn Wax amps up her players during her coaching days,  (Photos: Marilyn Wax)

Marilyn Wax, '68, is a Hall of Fame high school girls' sports coach who is committed to supporting student-athletes and future educators through her philanthropy.

During her 33 years as a physical education teacher and coach at Evergreen Park High School in the Chicago suburbs, Wax led teams in softball, bowling and golf to multiple state tournaments, shaping many student-atheltes' futures. 

Over the years, Wax has supported NIU and its students in several areas, including scholarships.
 

"Giving back to NIU is important to me, as the groundwork of my success was built during my four years in DeKalb," she said. "I like to contribute so that other students can have opportunities that they may not have without assistance."

In addition to her regular, steadfast support, Wax is a strong and consistent supporter of Huskies United, NIU’s annual day of giving.

This year, Huskies United begins on Wednesday, April 2, at 4:25 p.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 3.
 

Wax's favorite areas to support NIU during Huskies United are the College of Education and the Huskies softball team.

“We need dedicated teachers as good role models, and if donating to the College of Education can help students pursue that role, I am happy to contribute,” she said. “Softball has a special place in my heart, that is why I gladly donate to that program.”

Wax, who grew up in Chicago, knew she wanted to be a physical education major, and Anderson Hall, which houses that department, opened during her freshman year on campus. 

"The campus was close to home but still far enough away for me to be independent and experience life in a small town rather than a big city like Chicago," she said.

Wax was busy as a student, being the president of her residence hall, Neptune East, and joining the Association of College Unions Women's Bowling Team competing around the Midwest. She recalled spending a week at the Lorado Taft Field Campus, participating in outdoor classes on the North 40 behind Anderson Hall, and canoeing on the lagoon for physical education classes. 

"I participated in a variety of intramurals just to be introduced to the sports that I did not experience while attending a Chicago high school," she said. "Most, if not all, of my classmates came from suburban high schools where they were much more prepared in a variety of sports. I was at a disadvantage and needed to learn most of the curriculum through intramural participation. So not only was I participating in intramurals but I was in charge of the bowling intramural program as well as a participant."

Wax kept her NIU ties strong after graduation. She would frequently encounter fellow physical education alumni over her career who, like her, were leaders in the development of girls' sports in the state of Illinois. She also saw many of her former instructors at Homecoming events and other alumni events over the years.

"I proudly considered them colleagues throughout my career, keeping in touch with them," she said of her former instructors.

During her lengthy career as a coach at Evergreen Park High School from 1968 to 2001, Wax was a pioneer for girls' sports in Illinois. In 1970, she started the school's softball program and in 1975, its girls' bowling program.

"I am honored to have been involved with the beginnings of girls’ sports in the state of Illinois,” she said. “Those of us who experienced this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity never had manuals, teaching aids or fitness programs; it was a time of trial and error. Playing sports for the love of the game to forming conferences that led to state competition took a few years.” 

Wax was the only high school softball coach in Illinois to take her teams to Illinois High School Association state tournaments in four decades: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Her softball teams racked up 525 total wins during her tenure. She was inducted into the Illinois Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1991, the Illinois Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Evergreen Park High School Hall of Fame in 2017.

“I was blessed with outstanding athletes in bowling, softball and golf who made my dreams come true and took me to sixteen state tournaments in three sports,” she said.

Wax gives so that future Huskies will have the opportunity to inspire others and blaze their own paths.

"I am forever grateful to NIU for preparing me for my teaching and coaching journey," she said. "From the education I received to all the experiences that provided for my personal growth--be it social or through involvement in activities--my time at NIU was not only memorable but also built a foundation for my success."

For more information on Huskies United, please visit the website: https://dog.niu.edu/