Hinsdale Central High School head boys soccer coach Michael Wiggins is trading the pitch for a reading circle this fall.
Wiggins will lead the Champions Reading Club at the Community House, 415 W. Eighth St. in Hinsdale, on Wednesday evenings from late August through late September. The program pairs parents and young readers for shared book time with their favorite books, according to a District 181 Community Backpack announcement published Monday, July 13.
The club launches in the same stretch that District 181 students head back to class. The first student attendance day for the 2026-27 school year is Tuesday, August 18.
Wiggins has coached at Hinsdale Central for 24 seasons, accumulating 339 varsity wins and leading the program to the 2014 IHSA Class 3A state championship. He was named Illinois High School Soccer Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2015, according to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association. He retired from full-time classroom teaching but remains on the Hinsdale Central athletics staff.
His career in Hinsdale schools goes back further. Wiggins started teaching and coaching at Hinsdale Middle School before spending eight years at Downers Grove South, then returning to Central.
He's also an author. "I was never much of a reader and I wrote a book," Wiggins said in a profile published by The Faces of the Hinsdale Area. His book, "The Starting 11," draws on more than 30 years in sports and education.
District 181 has not published the specific session dates, age or grade range for participants, program cost, or a registration deadline. Families seeking details should contact the Community House at 630-323-7500 or visit thecommunityhouse.org.
Hinsdale education week ahead
- Monday, August 10 — District 181 Board of Education regular business meeting, Hinsdale Middle School, 100 S. Garfield St., Hinsdale. Check d181.org for agenda and public comment sign-up.
- Tuesday, August 18 — First student attendance day, District 181, 2026-27 school year.
- Thursday, September 3 — District 181 Academic Success Committee, 12 p.m., District Office, 133 E. Ogden Ave., Hinsdale. First committee meeting of the 2026-27 year.
District 86 has not published regular board meeting dates for August or September 2026 on its public calendar. Residents can check hinsdale86.org for updates.
