Tim Racki – 10× State Champion Coach | Hall of Famer | Mental Resilience Advocate
Tim Racki is one of the most accomplished high school football coaches in the United States. Over a 26-year head coaching career, he has won 10 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Championships, led teams to 12 state title appearances, and posted a career record of 226-80 (.739) — ranking him among the top coaches in state history. He’s the first coach in Illinois to win state titles at two different programs and ranks second all-time in total state championships. His teams have competed and won across five different classes (3A–7A), and he’s never lost a first-round playoff game in 20 postseason appearances.
A 2024 first-ballot inductee into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, Racki has also been a National Coach of the Year finalist and earned numerous Coach of the Year honors at both the conference and state levels. As head coach at two different programs, he built powerhouse teams — both ranked among the Top 20 in Illinois high school football history. He’s known for transforming underperforming teams into perennial contenders and sustaining excellence over decades — a rare feat in high school athletics.
But Racki’s greatest legacy isn’t just in wins — it’s in impact.
Behind the championships is a man who has fought silent battles. Tim has struggled with depression, endured seasons of personal failure, and fallen short in his most important roles — husband, father, and human being. Despite public accolades, he knows what it feels like to suffer privately. Today, he’s committed to using his story to help coaches, athletes, and leaders navigate the pressure, pain, and “the shit that goes on in our heads” — because success on the outside doesn’t always mean peace on the inside.
Now serving as a school leader and head football coach, Tim Racki continues to mentor the next generation — not just in football, but in life. His mission is to lead with vulnerability, speak truth into tough spaces, and remind others: you are not alone.
Related Episodes
Masculinity, Coaching & Mental Health: A Candid Talk with Tim Racki
In this episode of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, championship football coach Tim Racki opens up about the pressure of success, the toll it took on his mental health, and how he's rebuilding his identity through vulnerability and daily self-care. A powerful conversation on masculinity, burnout, and why emotional honesty is the most important play in the game