Konkel Receives Rick Franklin Coaching Longevity Award

Bob Konkel received the Rick Franklin Coaching Longevity Award. Front Row: Scarlet Konkel, Kassidy Linkey,  and Kaden Linkey. Back Row: Hazel Konkel, Sophie Heck, Bob Konkel, Jake Heck, and Ruby Konkel.
St. Ann’s Boys Basketball coach Bob Konkel has received the Rick Franklin Coaching Longevity Award. The award is handed out by the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association. This is a new award, which was began in the fall of 2017. The award recognizes coaches that have been coaching for at least 20 years in the same district.
Konkel began his coaching career in 1966 at St. Charles DuBois, when he was just 21 years old.  Konkel coached grade school basketball. In 1968 Konkel took a break from coaching as he served in the US Navy from 1968-1972. Upon returning from the Navy, Konkel resumed coaching at St. Charles DuBois until 1990.
After the 1990 season, Konkel took four years off from coaching to watch his kids play high school sports. Konkel would coach pee wee a little bit during this time, but would not be a head coach.  In 1994, Konkel began coaching at St. Ann Nashville, and still coaches the Saints to this day.
Over the years, Konkel has helped coach Softball, both slow pitch and fast pitch, as well as helped with the baseball programs and track programs over the years.
Konkel said of getting the award, “I have been blessed to be able to do it. With the backing from the wife and family. Anyone who has coached knows it a demand on them so to have the backing of the wife and the family is great.”
Konkel said he originally started coaching right after graduation. Konkel said that he played in high school, but did not get to play in grade school. Konkel wanted to coach to give kids an idea of what they would be getting into once they got to the high school level.