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Signs of success: Deerfield among towns to honor state champions with roadside recognition

Quite literally, Deerfield gymnast Matthew Kroscher’s name is all around town.

So is the name of Sam Liokumovich, a recent state champion in the shot put. Award-winning actor Jacob Simon also shares that distinction.

Kroscher, Liokumovich and Simon are the latest Deerfield residents to be recognized for their success at the state, national or international level. The village annually posts signs throughout town to recognize each person’s accomplishments.

For a year, their names will be visible at four points of entry to the village.

Kroscher, Liokumovich and Simon were presented with their signs on June 3 at Deerfield Village Hall. Deerfield mayor Harriet Rosenthal said the tradition of recognizing champions on street signs goes back at least to 1985, when she joined the board of trustees.

“It gives recognition for outstanding accomplishment,” Rosenthal said. “It’s about community, and I’m all about community. We should recognize people when they’ve done something out of the ordinary.”

Deerfield High School principal Kathryn Anderson said the signs motivate the village’s youth to strive for greatness.

Liokumovich, who won the Class 3A shot put title in May, said he felt pretty good when he drove by the sign for the first time with his friends. Later, his dad wanted to capture the moment.

“He said, ‘We have to go take a picture,’ ” Liokumovich recalled. “It’s really cool that we are recognized for something we’ve worked so hard to accomplish.”

This was the second time Kroscher appeared before village officials as part of the sign ceremony. He was part of the Warriors team that won the boys gymnastics state championship in 2018, and this school year he won individual state titles in the still rings and the vault.

“It was a really cool feeling,” Kroscher said. “It was awesome to do it and for the community to know about it. It’s cool people will know about it.”

Kroscher said sharing the honor with Liokumovich and Simon made this season’s sign ceremony even better.

“I know how hard he’s worked,” Kroscher said of Liokumovich. “I call him ‘Track Dude.’ I see him all the time. It was cool to be there with Jacob (Simon). I’ve seen all his plays. He’s really talented.”

The signs are posted at the northern and southern entrances to Deerfield on Waukegan Road and at the eastern and western boundaries on Deerfield Road. The village is in the process of removing the ones honoring last year’s champions and replacing them with the current winners.

Deerfield also has honored students at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. Rochelle Zell won its fifth consecutive Model United Nations world championship. Rochelle Zell was first and Highland Park was second among 300 schools from 75 countries.

The village makes the honorary signs at its own sign shop. Deerfield management analyst David Fitzgerald-Sullivan said the cost is $200 per sign, including labor and materials. Five are made for each recipient: Four to be displayed around town, and a fifth for the winner to take home.

Some other villages along the North Shore also create signs to honor athletes and other local dignitaries. Highland Park puts its signs near Wolters Field, and Lincolnshire also has a similar tradition of placing signs on the edge of town.

Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

Twitter @Pioneer_Press