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Wayne Muskievicz and Carol Bolek’s reputation among Illinois’ athletic power couples seems as preordained as it’s been hard earned.
Muskievicz grew up in south suburban Dolton and starred in hoops at Thornridge High under Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame coach Ron Ferguson. By the time he attended Augustana College, he developed athletically to the point of starring in both tennis and basketball. Muskievicz eventually rose to become the top-ranked player in the Chicago District Tennis Association in 1985.
Along the way, Bolek taught home economics at Thornridge and served as Vice President of the Illinois Home Economics Association, while helping her husband run the Olympia Fields Country Club tennis program for years.
Sons Michael and Mark, both Homewood Flossmoor graduates, soon followed in their parents' athletic and leadership footsteps, with Michael starring in tennis at the University of Wisconsin and Mark at Bradley University.
Since his days as a 6-foot-5, 350-pound, left-handing serving (124 mph) terror, Michael Muskievicz has always let his game speak for itself.
"People who look at me don't expect me to be a tennis player, but once I play it becomes apparent that I am," Muskievicz once told the Northwest Indiana Times. "I never wanted to play football."
Under his father’s direction, Michael began playing tennis at age 2 and competed in tournaments by age 9.
"During the summer when I was teaching, he would pop out of the stroller and I would roll him balls," said Wayne. "Because he was so strong, he could handle the racket. As soon as he was walking, he was walking on the (tennis courts).”
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