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Head Varsity Coach
Thom Sigel
Coach Sigel enters his eleventh season as Rock Island coach. During his ten years at Rocky, he has helped guide teams to three Western Big 6 titles, six Regional Championships, two Sectional Championships, and last season the Rocks went 30-3 in claiming the IHSA Class 3A State Championship. He was also able to reach a milestone by winning his 300th career vicotry last season.

He came to Rocky after a six year stint at Rock Falls, leaving as the all-time winningest coach in school history with a 127-52 record. During those six years, the Rockets won four straight Sectional titles with an Elite 8 berth in 2000 and won the Class A State Championship in 1999.

He was a 1985 graduate of Rock Falls and then continued his playing career at Knox College, majoring in English. Coach Sigel then spent six years as an assistant coach at Galesburg before leaving for Rock Falls. He completed his Master’s from Western Illinois University and is currently employed as a Guidance Counselor at RIHS.

He and his wife Alicia have three children, Trey (16), Haley (14), and Colton (9).

Assistant Varsity Coach
Rod Leatherman
Coach Leatherman returned to the boys basketball program in 2010-11 after leaving to take over the girls progam in 1993-94. After serving as the Head Freshman Coach last season, he moves to the varsity assistant position this year. Prior to being the head girls coach, Coach Leatherman was an assistant for the boys from 1989-1993.

As the head coach of the girls program, Coach Leatherman compiled an overall record of 246-178, won 9 Regional Championships, and was the IBCA District 11 Coach of the Year six times.

Coach Leatherman graduated from Augustana in 1992 and has a Master's Degree in Sports Management from Western Illinois University. He is married to his wife Allyson and has five children - Kayla, Kristin, Andrew, Mackenzie, and Zachary.

Assistant Varsity Coach
Toney Hickman

Toney Hickman officially returned to Rock Island Basketball four years ago as an Assistant Varsity Coach. For more than a decade, he has successfully taught hundreds of young men and women the game of basketball. He has recently coached our junior high RIMBA team and has previously coached several High School AAU Basketball teams, all of which enjoyed high levels of success. "My desire is help teach our players excellence through teamwork, mental toughness and hard work."

Coach Hickman achieved All-State Basketball honors while playing at Rock Island. He received a Division I basketball scholarship at Western Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor Business degree.

Coach Hickman is husband to Mrs. Janice Hickman and is a father of four children. He is currently employed at Alcoa in Operations.

Head Sophomore Coach
Chad Baker
Coach Baker begins his eighth year on the Rock Island staff. He spent his first two years as the sophomore assistant before moving to the head sophomore position five years ago. He led the sophomores to the WB6 championship in his first year and again in 2009 & 2011.

Coach Baker brings seventeen years of coaching experience to this position. He got his start at his alma mater, Moline, coaching in the MBA and junior high, then continuing on to the high school at the freshman and sophomore levels. After five years at Moline, he moved to Rockridge for two years. He then went to Orion with former Rocky coach Dennis Weiss as a freshmen coach and varsity assistant.

Coach Baker is a 1993 graduate of Moline where he played for legendary coach Jerry Leggett. After Moline, he attended Black Hawk College and started his coaching career. He is currently employed as the Work Comp Administrator at The Sedona Group's corporate headquarters in Moline.  He and his wife Tracey were married in September, 2010. He has one son, Braeden (7), and a step-daughter, Kiely (16).

Asst. Sophomore Coach
Damon Colvin
Coach Colvin is in his eleventh year as a basketball coach at Rocky. He has been instrumental in introducing the freshmen to our high school basketball program and developing them for the future as the head freshman coach. He will assist at the sophomore level for the fifth consecutive year. He has also been an instrumental part of 1 freshmen conference championship and 3 conference championships in the last 5 years.

He has coached in the YMCA league, RIMBA, and at Horace Mann Choice School. He has also been very active coaching baseball for Little League, Rock Island Red Sox, and RIHS. Coach Colvin is a 1994 graduate of Rocky and has continued his education at the University of Illinois, Black Hawk College, and Western Illinois University.

He is currently employed as a Branch Manager at Wells Fargo. He and his wife, Chantill were married in March of 2002 and have a daughter, Chanel (7).

Head Freshmen Coach
Keith Beck
Coach Beck is in his fifth year with the Rock Island Rocks. He is thrilled to be a part of the Rock Island Program. After serving as an assistant at the sophomore and freshman levels, he takes over the freshman team this year.

Coach Beck graduated from Moline High School in 2001 and furthered his education at St. Ambrose University. In 2006 he graduated with and Education Degree in Physical Education. He is currently employed at First National Bank. His twins, Ava and Alex, just turned two years old on November 1st.

Asst. Freshmen Coach
Chris Gabany
Coach Gabany joins the staff this year as the freshmen assistant coach. He is a 2005 graduate of Dixon High School. He continued his education at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and secondary teaching certifcation.

Coach Gabany is in his second year at Rock Island High School as a Biology teacher as part of the freshman academy.