Bob DeLeonardis has seen a multitude of leagues, programs and camps introduced at the Skokie Park District in his nearly two decades as the district’s athletics manager. His message to his as-yet chosen replacement is, “You have to try new things. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. But if you pour your heart into the job, and make yourself available, this community will embrace both new and old sports.”
After playing college baseball and graduating from Northeastern Illinois University in 1983, DeLeonardis worked for the Park Ridge Park District for more than 20 years. Hired by the Skokie Park District in 2006, he went on to not only to revive sometimes struggling programs like baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and football, he helped introduce new programs to a diverse community, such as cricket and pickleball.
“I have had a great and loyal staff over the years,” he said. “I also have been fortunate to help mentor some really talented young parks and recreation professionals.”
Indeed, at least three of them went on to careers in nearby park district athletics programs and even administrative roles.
“Bob will be greatly missed,” said Executive Director Michelle Tuft. “He has been an important team member at the Skokie Park District for nearly 20 years, and is one of the reasons the district is respected in Skokie, and in Illinois.
Some of DeLeonardis’ co-workers call him “the hardest working man in sports.” Why? Because in his spare time over the past 25 years, he has umpired high school and college baseball games (working three high school state finals), refereed high school basketball games, and coached both high school baseball and football.
An assistant football coach at Niles West High School for 33 years, he faced many of the same challenges in that role as he encountered in his full-time job.
“Skokie is a diverse community, and many kids here did not grow up with football,” he said. “In spite of that, I think we did a great job over the years trying to compete against really tough north suburban competition.”
In 2020, DeLeonardis took on a new challenge, signing on as an assistant football coach at another struggling program, Chicago catholic high school Depaul Prep (formerly Gordon Tech), a school that in 2019 didn’t even have a football field. The Rams, with DeLeonardis coaching their linebackers, posted four losing seasons in a row. Then, in 2024, showing some promise, the team went 6-3 in the regular season. In the state playoffs the Rams looked like a new team, winning five games in a row, three in blowouts, beating Mt. Zion, 40-6, for the state championship. Bob DeLeonardis, after 40 years of coaching, was now sitting on the mountaintop of Illinois high school football.
His legacy now secure, in his retirement, the father of four will now be able to spend more time with his family and friends, as well as continue to coach football and referee.
And on June 30, DeLeonardis will take his last stroll down the hall of the Weber Leisure Center, confident that the Skokie Park District athletics program will be in good hands.