Eric Baron took over the Chiefs' Cross-Country program in the Fall of 2022 and immediately helped guide four runners to All-Region status and berths in the NJCAA Division I National Meet in Tallahassee, Florida. Last Fall he helped direct the women's team to the Region 4 title and a 30th place finish at the National Meet in Huntsville, Alabama. Coach Baron has more than 25 years of coaching and training experience, and a proven record of success helping middle school, high school and collegiate distance runners excel. He employs a quietly intense and passionate coaching style, with a focus on consistency to improve on the course and in the classroom. That winning formula was on display last fall as he helped guide the women’s team to conference and region titles, along with two men’s runners also qualifying for the NJCAA Division II National Meet.   

Baron graduated in 1988 from St. Charles High School where he earned All-State honors in Track and Field. He went on to run Cross Country and Track at Eastern Illinois University (EIU) where he was the team captain in 1991 and 1992, earning the Panthers’ Most Valuable Player Award in both Cross Country and Track in 1992. During his time at EIU Baron earned All-Mid-Continent Conference honors his junior year and turned in the third best 5K time in school history that season. He graduated from EIU in 1993 with a degree in Educational and Instructional Technology.

Coach Baron began working as a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher at nearby Kaneland High School in 1998 and joined the Knights’ coaching staff the following year. In the Fall he served as the boys’ and girls’ Assistant Cross-Country Coach for a total of 17 seasons. During his time in that capacity Kaneland finished as runner-up at the 1999 Class A State Meet, came in fifth at the Class 2A State Meet in 2009, and captured a State Championship in 2019 with four Knights’ runners earning All-State status. In the Spring Baron was also the boys’ Assistant Track Coach from 2000 through 2005. He took over as Head Coach in 2006, leading one of the most successful prep programs in Illinois through the 2016 season. Baron coached eight individual State Champions and 49 State Medalists, while his teams won seven Sectional Titles and finished second at state twice.

In 2001 Baron was awarded the Dave Pasquini Lifetime Achievement Award for Assistant Coaches presented by the Illinois Track and Cross-Country Coaches Association (ITCCCA). Baron has also been nominated for Illinois coach of the year four different times and was tabbed the Coach of the Year in 2014 by the ITCCCA. A life-long learner, he shared some of his knowledge and experience as a presenter at the ITCCCA’s 2016 Coaching Clinic. Coach Baron currently resides in Kirkland.