100 Years of the
WEST SUBURBAN CONFERENCE

 

 

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WSC-100 Sports VENUES

Team WSC-100's bucket list of our favorite places to watch a West Suburban Conference sporting event.


BILL DUCHON FIELD (Glenbard West)
It's a masterful setting that looks like it was painted from a Norman Rockwell canvas.  The field is surrounded by woods on three sides, with the the backdrop of Lake Ellyn, is certainly eye-catching; as is the affluent residences that dot the landscape against the tree-covered winding roads.  Spectators are treated to the colorful display of foliage on an autumn Saturday afternoon.  Homeowners, as well as lucky alumni, can watch the games from their porches and decks.  The school sits up behind the stadium on the hill, and players will ring the victory bell after a Hilltoppers victory.  A step back in time, there is no artificial turf or lights at this facility, as fall football is played in daylight hours on the mud and grass.  They've been playing games there since the campus was built in 1923. The field was named after the former football coach and Athletic Director in 1980.

CHARLES J. FARINA FIELD HOUSE (East Leyden)
This massive field house is named after the school's legendary wrestling coach, who coached 17 individual state champions and won two team state titles.  The facility plays host to wrestling, basketball and track.  Check out the Wall of Fame along the East Wall, where you will find hundreds of pictures of numerous all-area and all-state players, major league baseball players, an NBA coach, and even an NFL Super Bowl champion head coach.

 CLARENCE D. EAST FIELD (York)
 Home to the Keebler International Prep Invitational, which ranked in the 1980's and 1990's as the most sought-after outdoor meet for high school track and field athletes across the globe, it featured individuals from over twenty different countries during its monumental run in Elmhurst.  Situated on a triangular piece of property along a railroad track, the facility added lights and a sound system in 2011.  It was also remembered for the hundreds of athletes and spectators that carefully navigated across Saint Charles Road, before traffic control lights were installed.  The field, which hosts track, football, soccer and lacrosse, is named after the school's long-time coach and Athletic Director.

DON WATSON AQUATICS CENTER (Hinsdale Central)
 This ten-lane, 20.5 million dollar facility opened in 2021.  The swimming alumni group raised an additional 1.6 million dollars, making it possible to build ten lanes instead of the traditional six.  The pool is named after the  former Hinsdale Central swim coach Don Watson, who won twelve consecutive state championships from 1967 through 1978. 

HINSDALE CENTRAL GYMNASIUM
With more than 100 State Championship banners that completely surround the building, the Hinsdale Central Gymnasium has hosted nearly 100 state series basketball tournament games.  Built in 1952, the concrete upstairs seating areas that encompass the playing floor truly makes it a permanent structure.  The buzz inside an overcrowded supersectional game at this facility has entertained the paying customers through the last several decades.  The gym also hosts two giant events in the the Rex Whitlach Wrestling Tournament and the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic on an annual basis.  The facility was featured on the cover of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's 2023 edition of the "Unique Gyms of Illinois Calendar". 

KATHRYN LEGGE MEMORIAL PARK
The start of the West Suburban Conference cross-country meet with all the colors and the background of tree-lined course will put a shiver up your spine.  Even if you aren't a fan of distance races, this pageantry you cannot afford to  miss.  Built in 1927, fifty-two beautiful acres of woodland make for a picturesque setting.. 

LYONS TOWNSHIP FIELDHOUSE
One of the largest indoor spectator seating facilities in all of the state, the Lyons Township Fieldhouse at the school's North Campus has had its share of hosting memorable events.  Check out the annual boys basketball Blackout Game, that they have been hosting since 2008, for a tremendous school-spirit atmosphere.

OAK PARK-RIVER FOREST FIELD HOUSE
This multi-purpose behemoth was constructed in 1927, at a cost of $750,000, plays home to track, wrestling and basketball events.  The building hosted the Oak Park Relays, one of the nation's largest track meets, starting in 1930.  Watching a track meet from the balcony is a memorable experience, as the runners on the oval will momentarily disappear from your field of vision, as they will run under the the overhang for about 50 meters.  There's even a parking garage just to the south of the facility, which completes this very unique environment. 

OAK PARK-RIVER FOREST STADIUM
Built in 1924, construction crews worked day and night to complete the stadium in 42 days at a cost of $112,500.  The facility boasts a brown brick facade, brick pillars and arched windows.  The original entry arch is now part of the central tunnel of the stadium, A unique feature of the stadium is that the football field is laid out east to west, which makes for interesting play as players sometimes will be looking directly into the sun.  Despite objections from some residents, lights were installed in 2009.  Field goal kickers have have had plenty of attempts that ended up hitting parked cars on Linden Avenue over the years.

PROVISO EAST FIELDHOUSE
 The memories from the rafters include the glaring of the horns and beating of drums from the Proviso East band that still echoes from the rafters of Pirates Cove.  Upon entering the building, you can almost hear a rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown" as the Pirates warm-up before a game.  Built in 1938 with a capacity of 2,200, the U-shaped balcony seating boasts prominent pillars that may obstruct  the view of patrons seated up high.  There is limited seating on the ground floor, which is usually reserved for the most loyal Pirate fanatics.  The facility has seen four state championship basketball teams play here, as well as being a host for the sport of volleyball at the 1959 Pan-American Games.

PROVISO WEST FIELDHOUSE
 This venue has hosted more West Suburban Conference track meets than other facility, dating back to Proviso West's entry into the conference in 1966.  Boys and Girls of both the Gold and Silver Divisions have seen numerous conference records shattered on the 200-meter rubberized surface.  The balcony seating for spectators allows for a birds-eye view that overlooks the giant facility. The Track Classic, an individual invitation track and field bonanza, played here in the seventies and eighties, that featured numerous state records, tuxedo-clad officials, and athletic participation from tracksters from all over the state.

 
   
Bill Duchon Field   Charles J. Farina Field House   Clarence D. East Field
         
   
Don Watson Aquatics Center   Hinsdale Central Gymnasium   Kathryn Legge Memorial Park
         
   
Lyons Township Fieldhouse   Oak Park-River Forest Field House   Oak Park-River Forest Stadium
         
     
Proviso East Fieldhouse   Proviso West Fieldhouse