Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Winter 2013 | Page 23

mentorship in her classes, scholarship, K-12 classrooms, and in the
professional policy realms of the College, the State of Illinois, and the
national scene where policies for education are shaped.”
Inspired by Dr. Lederhouse’s example and her contributions to the
field of education, Carleigh Verner ’07 recently began work on her Ph.D.
in Teacher Leadership. Perhaps like many students, she says her greatest
lesson was learned by example—through Dr. Lederhouse’s willingness
to be real and transparent—as an educator, wife, mother, and disciple of
Christ. “Dr. Lederhouse showed me that when you put the Lord first in
your life, he will accomplish great things through you if you are willing
to be used by him.”

Coach Jonathan Lederhouse ’ 74
Sweltering summer afternoons in 1982 found Byron Cox ’83 in the
pool at Chrouser Fitness Center, working one-on-one with Coach
Jon Lederhouse ’74, the longest-serving head coach on Wheaton’s staff
today. Those individualized workouts with “impossibly achievable

Jill received Wheaton’s Senior Teaching Achievement
Award in 2001-2002. Jon has been named “Coach of the
Year” multiple times by the CCIW.

goals” may not have turned Byron into a swimming standout, but they
have had a lasting impact on his teaching style—and on his students.
“I’ve been teaching middle school and high school math for 29 years,”
says Byron, “and the most valuable time I spend is one-on-one. My
teaching style has affected a couple thousand lives, because of that lesson
that Jon taught me.”
Thirty years later, Coach Lederhouse is still bringing the same kind
of individual attention to athletes, often with life-shaping results.
Taylor Clarkson Hanson ’10 says, “He is interested in every athlete—
the ones who come in 30th, as much as the ones who come in 1st. He
celebrates even the smallest victories with you, and is excited at seeing
improvement in all of his athletes, no matter how seemingly small.”
Head swimming coach and aquatics director for the last 37 years, Jon’s
teams have won 46 CCIW Championships, and consistently placed in
the NCAA Division III National Championship Finals, finishing in the
“top 10” a remarkable 19 times. Under his direction, Wheaton’s swim
program has developed into a major small college power.
Rob Emary ’90 was part of the team that finished third at Nationals
his senior year. He gives Coach Lederhouse the credit for transforming
him from a young swimmer with little experience into the athlete who
won the NCAA National Title in the 200 Butterfly and became a
17-time All-American for both individual and r elay events.
“Without his constant guidance, push, and encouragement, I would
not have been as successful,” says Rob, who followed in Jon’s footsteps,
and has been a swim coach himself for more than 20 years. “Jon has
always encouraged me to reach higher—as an athlete, and as a coach.
He continues to push me to be a mentor of character as well as a trainer
for national-level swimmers.”
A national-level swimmer himself while at Wheaton, Jon became
head coach of the Wheaton College men’s swim team just two years
after graduation.
With a master’s in educational administration from Northern Illinois
University, Jon has served as kinesiology wellness instructor and
women’s water polo coach over the years. He also served on the NCAA
Men’s and Women’s Swimming Committee from 1992 to 1999, and
hosted the 1990 NCAA Division III Men’s Swimming and Diving
Championships.
Any story about Jon’s coaching would not be complete without a
mention of his sense of fun. Taylor Hanson says, “I think he was almost
as proud when we achieved a really witty prank as when we achieved
a personal best in the pool.” She notes that this made for great times and
also built lasting friendships among team members.
Dr. Tony Ladd, who served as athletics director for 28 years,
appreciates Jon for his servant leadership, his heart for student ministry,
and his commitment to holistic education. Like many of the more
than 500 students on Jon’s teams over the years, Rob Emary recognizes
that the focus has never been just about winning. He says, “Swimming
was only one part of the equation for Jon. Raising up a group of
Christian young men and women has always been the main objective.”
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