A familiar face and certainly a name synonymous with Silver Streaks sports is the new coach of the Galesburg High School basketball program.
Taylor Thiel, a member of the 1998 state runner-up team and of course part of the legendary family that saw his grandfather John, father Zack, and uncle Mark all make their marks on the program, will officially become Galesburg’s new coach on May 12, pending school board approval.
He was a starter and a major contributor on the state runner-up 1997-98 Silver Streaks, widely regarded as one of the best teams in the storied history of Galesburg basketball. That team had a 30-3 record, falling to Chicago Whitney Young in the Class AA state title game in Peoria.
Taylor Thiel joins WGIL’s Jay Redfern where he shares his vision for an uptempo, high-pressure team, building a winning culture from middle school up, and rekindling community excitement. He discusses returning home, his coaching philosophy, and goals for the program’s future.