The Kewanee Athletic Department honored Coach Donna Havelka for her 20 years of service to the girls tennis program.
Coach Havelka took over for the late Bill Parish in 2004 and is retiring after nearly two decades at the helm of the tennis team. She also coached bowling, track and softball at Kewanee High School.
Havelka was the head junior high track coach at Central Junior High School for 14 years as well, which is where she was a computer instructor throughout most of her career.
Donna was a standout athlete in high school and was one of the pioneers of girls sports at KHS. Girls were first allowed to compete in IHSA events in 1975. Havelka participated in volleyball, basketball, tennis and track throughout her years at KHS.
She was a member of the 1976 volleyball team that won the school’s first volleyball regional championship. Havelka was a senior player on the 1977 Sweet 16 girls basketball team. She graduated in 1977.
She retired from teaching in 2020 and in 2021, Havelka was named an Honorary Boilermaker.
