Sam’s brother owns the now Energy in Sycamore, grew up in Addison Illinois, was a gymnast at NIU starting in 1984 as a walk-on. Coached nine years as an assistant to the team, in his second year as head coach..

Northern Star: You did not grow up in Sycamore or DeKalb, but how long have you been involved with this community?

Sam Morreale: For almost 20 years. I raised my own family out here. I’ve worked at a club out here this whole time. I am native to Addison, Ill. I came out here as a student, left for a year or two, and then came back.

Sam’s brother owns the now Energy in Sycamore, grew up in Addison Illinois, was a gymnast at NIU starting in 1984 as a walk-on. Coached nine years as an assistant to the team, in his second year as head coach..

Northern Star: You did not grow up in Sycamore or DeKalb, but how long have you been involved with this community?

Sam Morreale: For almost 20 years. I raised my own family out here. I’ve worked at a club out here this whole time. I am native to Addison, Ill. I came out here as a student, left for a year or two, and then came back.

NS: What drew you to NIU: The ability to compete in gymnastics?

SM: It was. I was a competitive athlete. That was kind of the reason I came out here, to compete.

NS: What all did you compete in as a gymnast?

SM: I started as an all-arounder. Injuries kind of bumped me back where I became more of a pommel horse, parallel bar, floor and vaulter.

NS: How long were you involved with gymnastics before entering NIU?

SM: Probably since I was a youngster. My brother was in it for a long time; he’s four years older than me. I kind of come from a gymnastics family–my two middle sisters also did it. We grew up being close friends with the Palmers and they owned a gymnastics club back in our town. I had played gymnastics for a long time, but I didn’t really get serious until about sixth grade. My dad also coached at the park district so I played baseball, hockey and football. We did everything else growing up, and then I decided that was what I wanted to do.

NS: Is there any other family ties to coaching?

SM: My dad coached forever, so that was probably what started me. My high school coach was very detail-oriented. I think that’s what I kind of took to. He coached by himself and there was a huge group of us. He had everything on cards where it was each skill was broken down to beginner, intermediate and advanced, so wherever you were on that skill you just grabbed the card and went and did the stuff…My college coach here, he was a good coach but he was kind of on the end of his run here. He wasn’t as involved day-to-day, so we helped each other a lot. My high school coach kind of showed me what to do, and my college coach showed me what not to do.

NS: Did you start working at the gym in Sycamore as a student, as well?

SM: It was called something different back then and was run by the then-current NIU coach. About five years after that my brother and a partner of his ended up buying it. We were also doing mobile gymnastics, which is van-loads of equipment going to day cares. As I progressed through that I kind of just got situated out here and it just kind of went from there.

 

NS: Did you just go straight from being a student and coaching to just coaching as a job?

SM: I went from a student, dropping out because I couldn’t afford school. Then I just basically coached and started a family. When I became a volunteer here, I still wasn’t finished, but when they made me the assistant, I had to have a degree. So they put me back to school, so for two years I was a full time student, plus full time with this team, and full time over with [my brother] Andy. Once I graduated, then I just had this and Andy, and once I became head coach I just do this.

NS: So you didn’t grow up here but you have kind of adopted this area?

SM: I love the area. As far a place to raise a family, it’s a great place because it still has that small town feel but you’re still close enough to go other places. I couldn’t imagine raising my kids in the suburbs, there’s no way.  What drew you to NIU: The ability to compete in gymnastics?

SM: It was. I was a competitive athlete. That was kind of the reason I came out here, to compete.

NS: What all did you compete in as a gymnast?

SM: I started as an all-arounder. Injuries kind of bumped me back where I became more of a pommel horse, parallel bar, floor and vaulter.

NS: How long were you involved with gymnastics before entering NIU?

SM: Probably since I was a youngster. My brother was in it for a long time; he’s four years older than me. I kind of come from a gymnastics family–my two middle sisters also did it. We grew up being close friends with the Palmers and they owned a gymnastics club back in our town. I had played gymnastics for a long time, but I didn’t really get serious until about sixth grade. My dad also coached at the park district so I played baseball, hockey and football. We did everything else growing up, and then I decided that was what I wanted to do.

NS: Is there any other family ties to coaching?

SM: My dad coached forever, so that was probably what started me. My high school coach was very detail-oriented. I think that’s what I kind of took to. He coached by himself and there was a huge group of us. He had everything on cards where it was each skill was broken down to beginner, intermediate and advanced, so wherever you were on that skill you just grabbed the card and went and did the stuff…My college coach here, he was a good coach but he was kind of on the end of his run here. He wasn’t as involved day-to-day, so we helped each other a lot. My high school coach kind of showed me what to do, and my college coach showed me what not to do.

NS: Did you start working at the gym in Sycamore as a student, as well?

SM: It was called something different back then and was run by the then-current NIU coach. About five years after that my brother and a partner of his ended up buying it. We were also doing mobile gymnastics, which is van-loads of equipment going to day cares. As I progressed through that I kind of just got situated out here and it just kind of went from there.

NS: Did you just go straight from being a student and coaching to just coaching as a job?

SM: I went from a student, dropping out because I couldn’t afford school. Then I just basically coached and started a family. When I became a volunteer here, I still wasn’t finished, but when they made me the assistant, I had to have a degree. So they put me back to school, so for two years I was a full time student, plus full time with this team, and full time over with [my brother] Andy. Once I graduated, then I just had this and Andy, and once I became head coach I just do this.

NS: So you didn’t grow up here but you have kind of adopted this area?

SM: I love the area. As far a place to raise a family, it’s a great place because it still has that small town feel but you’re still close enough to go other places. I couldn’t imagine raising my kids in the suburbs, there’s no way.

Sam’s brother owns the now Energy in Sycamore, grew up in Addison Illinois, was a gymnast at NIU starting in 1984 as a walk-on. Coached nine years as an assistant to the team, in his second year as head coach..

Northern Star: You did not grow up in Sycamore or DeKalb, but how long have you been involved with this community?

Sam Morreale: For almost 20 years. I raised my own family out here. I’ve worked at a club out here this whole time. I am native to Addison, Ill. I came out here as a student, left for a year or two, and then came back.

NS: What drew you to NIU: The ability to compete in gymnastics?

SM: It was. I was a competitive athlete. That was kind of the reason I came out here, to compete.

NS: What all did you compete in as a gymnast?

SM: I started as an all-arounder. Injuries kind of bumped me back where I became more of a pommel horse, parallel bar, floor and vaulter.

NS: How long were you involved with gymnastics before entering NIU?

SM: Probably since I was a youngster. My brother was in it for a long time; he’s four years older than me. I kind of come from a gymnastics family–my two middle sisters also did it. We grew up being close friends with the Palmers and they owned a gymnastics club back in our town. I had played gymnastics for a long time, but I didn’t really get serious until about sixth grade. My dad also coached at the park district so I played baseball, hockey and football. We did everything else growing up, and then I decided that was what I wanted to do.

NS: Is there any other family ties to coaching?

SM: My dad coached forever, so that was probably what started me. My high school coach was very detail-oriented. I think that’s what I kind of took to. He coached by himself and there was a huge group of us. He had everything on cards where it was each skill was broken down to beginner, intermediate and advanced, so wherever you were on that skill you just grabbed the card and went and did the stuff…My college coach here, he was a good coach but he was kind of on the end of his run here. He wasn’t as involved day-to-day, so we helped each other a lot. My high school coach kind of showed me what to do, and my college coach showed me what not to do.

NS: Did you start working at the gym in Sycamore as a student, as well?

SM: It was called something different back then and was run by the then-current NIU coach. About five years after that my brother and a partner of his ended up buying it. We were also doing mobile gymnastics, which is van-loads of equipment going to day cares. As I progressed through that I kind of just got situated out here and it just kind of went from there.

 

NS: Did you just go straight from being a student and coaching to just coaching as a job?

SM: I went from a student, dropping out because I couldn’t afford school. Then I just basically coached and started a family. When I became a volunteer here, I still wasn’t finished, but when they made me the assistant, I had to have a degree. So they put me back to school, so for two years I was a full time student, plus full time with this team, and full time over with [my brother] Andy. Once I graduated, then I just had this and Andy, and once I became head coach I just do this.

NS: So you didn’t grow up here but you have kind of adopted this area?

SM: I love the area. As far a place to raise a family, it’s a great place because it still has that small town feel but you’re still close enough to go other places. I couldn’t imagine raising my kids in the suburbs, there’s no way.