Beloved Coach Honored: Sandburg Pool Rededicated for Jane Caliendo

ORLAND PARK, IL - The name of a beloved Sandburg High School coach will now be seen and remembered by all those who visit the school's pool.

On August 28, the pool at Carl Sandburg High School was dedicated to Coach Jane Caliendo.

Jane Caliendo was a cherished teacher and coach at Carl Sandburg High School for over 20 years. Caliendo died of colon cancer in October 2014.

"Throughout all of the Southland, she was known as a leader, a favorite teacher/coach, and a wonderful person," wrote the Jane Caliendo Memorial Foundation in a release. "...As a student athlete, a teacher, a coach and a member of the Sandburg community, all appreciated Jane’s generous heart, happy spirit and dedication to excellence in the classroom, and in the pool."

In 2015, Caliendo was awarded a Legacy Award at CSHS because of her career and impact on the school. The Jane Caliendo Aquatic Center pool is where Jane learned to swim, trained, competed, taught and coached. This place was a second home to Jane and is now officially named the “Jane Caliendo Aquatic Center”.

“The naming of the pool is a lasting tribute to Jane and the impact she had on not only the Sandburg community but the entire Orland Park community as well," said her husband Jim Caliendo. "We are all extremely proud to accept this honor in her name.”

Jim Caliendo, who also teaches and coaches in the same pool, created a foundation to continue the legacy of Jane and her impact on the lives of student athletes. The Jane Caliendo Memorial Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 foundation which provides resources to the Carl Sandburg High School aquatics program and college scholarships for graduating athletes.

"Jane lived every moment of everyday with optimism, pride and a smile," the statement reads. "As a coach, she had high expectations of her students and athletes to live their lives with purpose and a commitment to continual improvement which reaching for their goals."

Two scholarships were awarded in her name this spring.

A recent donation was made by the Jane Caliendo Memorial Foundation to Carl Sandburg High School. Over the summer, a new timing system and scoreboard was donated and is installed in the pool. It was unveiled at the naming ceremony.

“We are all very proud to have been able to give back to Sandburg in such a way in such a short time," Jim Caliendo said. "It is just another testimony of the huge impact that Jane had on our entire community. She touched so many and everyone lovingly donated what they could in her honor. It has been inspiring.

“Thanks to all of Jane's warriors who are committed to keeping her memory alive and have all worked so hard to make this happen."

The next memorial effort will be the 5K run/walk to be held Sept. 11. Registration is available online at www.janeswarriors.com/events. The cost of the event is $30 prior to the event or $35 the day of the event. The inaugural event in 2015 had over 1,000 of Jane’s students, friends and family from the community in attendance.

Information about fundraising events can be found at www.janeswarriors.com/events and the Jane Caliendo Memorial Foundation’s Facebook page. For additional information, contact Jim Caliendo at 708-699-6292.

Photos Provided by the Jane Caliendo Memorial Foundation.