Addison Trail names four new head coaches and welcomes them to the Blazer athletic program

Addison Trail is thrilled to announce four new head coaches and welcome them to the school’s athletic program.

“We are confident the leadership and expertise of our new head coaches will elevate our sports teams to new heights and continue the tradition of excellence that has been established at Addison Trail,” said Humberto Ayala, Addison Trail Assistant Principal for Athletics and Operations. “We are excited to have them join the Blazer family, and we look forward to the many successes they will help our student-athletes achieve in athletics and beyond.”

Meet the coaches and read their bios below!

Terriel Cannon

Cannon (pictured above) has been named as the new Head Coach of Addison Trail’s Girls Basketball Team.

Cannon, who is better known as “Coach T,” brings a wealth of experience to the team, as she has been coaching for 14 years. She served as the Head Coach and Assistant Coach for the Girls Basketball Team at Proviso West High School and also is a coach for M14 Hoops, which is part of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Her successes/accomplishments include:

Played on the Proviso West High School Girls Basketball Team and was ranked as a top player in the state for the class of 2006
Played college basketball at Northern Illinois University (NIU)
Worked many basketball camps, including the Allergic to Failure (ATF) Basketball Camp, which is hosted by NBA player Robert Covington

“As Head Coach of the Addison Trail Girls Basketball Team, my primary goal is to build a strong, competitive program that emphasizes character, discipline and teamwork, both on and off the court,” Cannon said. “I aim to foster a positive and inclusive team culture, where student-athletes are empowered to grow as leaders, teammates and individuals. My goal is not only to win games, but to inspire, mentor and prepare young women for success in life.”

Steve Kuchefski

Kuchefski (pictured above) has been named as the new Head Coach of Addison Trail’s Softball Team.

While he might be new to the position, Kuchefski is a familiar face to the school and community. He is the Varsity Offensive Coordinator for the Addison Trail Football Team and an Assistant Coach for the Addison Trail Boys Basketball Team. He also served as the Junior Varsity Coach of the Softball Team for two years.

Kuchefski has a wealth of experience, as he has been coaching for 16 years. Beyond his time at Addison Trail, Kuchefski also has coached football, basketball, baseball and track and field at several local high schools. His successes/accomplishments include:

Was part of a Regional Championship team at Neuqua Valley High School as an Assistant Coach for the Boys Basketball Team
Was part of a York Community High School Baseball Team (as a staff member) that made a Final Four run in the post season
Helped the Glenbard East High School Football Team win Conference for the first time since 1962 and make the playoffs for the first time since 1999
Helped the Addison Trail Football Team make the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and the team’s first road playoff win since the 1980s
Was a walk-on football player for Eastern Illinois University

“Our goals (for the Softball Team) will be to represent the school and community of Addison in a very positive and competitive manner,” Kuchefski said. “Our focus is to help the athletes become better versions of themselves, to excel in the classroom and show hard work and competitiveness on the field. We want the student-athletes to become the best teammates they can be, show up to each practice and game to play as tough as they can, and get better each day and win each day.”

Cory Little

Little (pictured above) has been named as the new Head Coach of Addison Trail’s Boys Basketball Team.

While he might be new to the position, Little is a familiar face to the school and community. He is the Head Coach of the Addison Trail Girls Basketball Team (a role he has assumed for the past six years) and also has been part of the Boys Basketball Team coaching staff for three years. But his connection to the school goes even further, as he is an alumnus of Addison Trail (class of 1997).

Little has a wealth of experience, as he has been coaching for 17 years. He began his coaching career with the Boys Basketball Team at Driscoll Catholic High School. His successes/accomplishments include:

Played college basketball at University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
Played professionally for six years in Europe

“My goals for the Addison Trail Boys Basketball Team are to have success both on and off the court, starting with being a student in the classroom and having success there, which I want to transition to the basketball court,” Little said. “I want to be able to foster a positive environment for our student-athletes. We must focus on developing and building fundamental skills and having chemistry, along with teamwork, sportsmanship and personal growth. We want to be a program that engages and is active in the community.”

Nick Pingel

Pingel (pictured above) has been named as the new Head Coach of Addison Trail’s Girls Golf Team.

While he might be new to the position, Pingel is a familiar face to the school and community. He has been a coach at Addison Trail for 15 years and has been part of the baseball, wrestling, football, boys golf and girls golf programs. His successes/accomplishments include:

Was a four-sport athlete at Fenton High School (honored as the Top Male Athlete his senior year)
Played college baseball and golf at North Central College
Holds a 5.7 handicap in golf (and has been as low as a 2.3)
Has helped coordinate various sports camps for athletes
Spent 10 summers working at White Pines Golf Club in Bensenville in a variety of roles, including helping to lead junior golf camps
Stays connected to the game of golf through club repair and private instruction

“As the new Head Coach of the Addison Trail Girls Golf Team, my primary goals are to build a program that emphasizes personal growth, team unity and competitive excellence,” Pingel said. “I want each athlete to leave the season not only as a better golfer, but as a more confident, disciplined and resilient individual. Ultimately, I want our team to be known not just for how well we play, but for how well we support one another, compete with integrity and represent our community.”