McHenry Times

Jen Nichols-Hogle has amassed numerous accolades as a player and coach at Woodstock High School.

However, the one she said has been the most rewarding happened when she was recently inducted into the school's Blue Streaks Athletic Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony, which included five other inductees, took place on Jan. 20 at the high school, according to The Streaks, a monthly publication by the WHS Backers Club.

“When I received the news I was surrounded by family and friends who have supported me through and through," Nichols-Hogle told the McHenry Times. "To share that news with those individuals made the moment even better. The night of induction seemed so surreal and almost like a dream. I am very blessed and fortunate to have been given the opportunities I was.”

Nichols-Hogle is the WHS girls basketball program leader in career points with 1,742; rebounds with 779; steals with 261; and made free throws with 548, according to The Streaks. That is in addition to the numerous season and single-game records she holds in the program.

During her WHS playing career, which lasted from 2002-06, she was a second-team all-state selection, a three-time All-Fox Valley Conference (FVC) pick and “Queen of the Hill” at the Illinois High School Association 3-Point Country Financial Showdown event.

Nichols-Hogle also led the Blue Streaks to the regional title in 2006.

In track and field, she was the FVC champion in shot put as a senior.

After graduating from WHS, Nichols-Hogle went on to a strong basketball career at the University of Dubuque, becoming a four-year starter and three-time All-Iowa Conference selection.

After a year playing for the semi-professional Chicago Lady Steam, Nichols-Hogle's basketball focus switched to coaching after college. Her coaching stops included Woodstock North and Alden-Hebron high schools.

In 2014, Nichols-Hogle was contacted about the head-coaching job at her high school. She remembers that day for more than one reason — it also was the day her son was born.

“That day, for countless reasons, has changed my life," she said. "Coaching at Woodstock has taught me more about who I am and who I want to be than it has about X's and O's. I have become close with many families who have high standards of themselves, their daughters, their families, and their core values are in line to what I believe.”

Nichols-Hogle has guided the Blue Streaks to a regional title during her tenure, giving her a regional crown as a player and head coach at the same school.

She also is a co-founder and owner of the Chicago Vizion Basketball club program (CV). After leaving a local AAU program while her husband was dealing with an illness in 2012, she said, they were asked by many families about what program they would continue with. They started Chicago Vizion with three other friends and coaches in what she called “the leap of faith.”

“Being the owner of CV has many stressors, but at the end of the day, it is well worth it,” she said. “We have helped and will continue to help hundreds of girls and boys live out their passion of playing basketball.”