Hononegah’s Brunke Earns IBCA 4A Coach of the Year, Credits Players, Mentors, and Family for the Journey
It is a reflection of incredible hard‑working players and staff members I have been blessed with.
Hononegah girls basketball coach Jason Brunke doesn’t spend much time thinking about personal accolades. It’s simply not how he’s wired. So when he was named the 2026 IBCA Class 4A Coach of the Year after guiding the Indians to a 26–8 record and a dominant 17–1 NIC‑10 championship, his first reaction was exactly what you’d expect from someone who has built a program on humility and hard work.
“It is a reflection of incredible hard‑working players and staff members I have been blessed with", said Brunke.
That theme—gratitude, accountability, and a relentless drive to improve—runs through every part of Brunke’s coaching philosophy. When asked what habits have shaped his success, he pointed back to the foundation laid long before he ever paced a sideline.
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“I have always been instilled with hard work and pride in what I commit to—traits I absorbed from my parents,” he said. “Coaching can demand an endless time commitment, and I have never shied away from digging into finding solutions or ways to improve from day to day or season to season.”
Brunke’s calm demeanor on the bench can sometimes mask the competitive fire underneath, but he admits it fuels everything he does.
“I love to study the game and our opponents and design plans and practices to (hopefully) get our teams ready,” he said. “While it may not appear on the surface with my natural demeanor, I have a very competitive drive when it comes to athletic competition.”
That drive was shaped by mentors who helped him understand not just how to coach, but how to lead. At the top of that list is longtime Hononegah coach Mike Weibel, who built the program’s modern identity.
“The foundation of everything I know about how to coach high school basketball came from the mentorship of Coach Weibel,” Brunke said. “I try not to bother him too much, but I'll occasionally reach out when I need an outside perspective.”
Inside the program, Brunke leans heavily on assistant coach Matt Simpson, whose honesty and experience have become essential.
“My biggest sounding board is Coach Simpson,” Brunke said. “He has seen it all when it comes to high school athletics and isn't afraid to tell me what I need to hear. We live and die together with every outcome.”
YouTube clip of Coach Brunke talking about a 52-23 win over Boylan
Beyond Hononegah, Brunke still draws inspiration from one of his closest childhood friends, Nick Hildreth, now the head football coach at Willowbrook High School.
“He has been an inspiration and sounding board from the beginning, specifically from a culture and program‑building perspective,” Brunke said.
But when the final buzzer sounds—win or lose—Brunke’s thoughts go straight home.
“The outcome of any big contest always circles back to my wife, Katie, and my kids, Maxwell and Mae,” he said. “They bear the brunt of my absence but always know how to lift me up after a tough defeat or help me enjoy a big win. Absolutely could not do it without their support.”
This is the second big time coaching award Jason Brunke has earned this school year. He also was honored as a Chicago Bears coach of the week last fall while coaching the Girls Flag Football Team.
Coach of the Year honors may have his name on them, but Brunke sees the award as a shared achievement—one built on players who buy in, mentors who guide, assistants who challenge him, and a family that keeps him grounded.
Congrats Coach Brunke on this wonderful and well-earned honor.
