How many people do you know who have competitively played all five of the most popular sports in the US? If you have ever been a student in Mr. Billish’s class or a member of the Girls Cross Country Team or Girls Track Team, you know at least one: Mr. Daniel Billish, a highly-recognizable face at Benet Academy who has left a lasting impact on students and athletes alike.
As a child, Mr. Billish sought to stay active year round. He played football (as a wide receiver), basketball, and baseball. In high school at Brother Rice, Mr. Billish played soccer and basketball freshman year and then hockey for two years. He was also involved in student council, the literary magazine, and religious retreats. Committed to making an impact in his community, Mr. Billish served as the vice president of Brother Rice’s NHS chapter as a junior and then became president as a senior. After Brother Rice, he enrolled at Indiana University, where he majored in English and minored in business. Mr. Billish also wrote for the school newspaper and ran for the Indiana Cross Country Team and the Indiana Track Team.
After college, Mr. Billish worked at Marmion Academy. He started as an English teacher, but later moved into administration as an assistant principal. However, he came to desire a return to the classroom. Since Marmion did not have any positions open in the English department, Mr. Billish took a job at Plainfield East. Four years later, he decided to apply to Benet after a conversation with Mr. Renicker. Mr. Billish was drawn to Benet due to its communal aspect, traditions, and history. He finds it very inspiring that many of his colleagues not only went to Benet, but also returned to teach the next generations of Redwings. He sees Benet as a close-knit community where people are always looking out for each other.
Mr. Billish teaches Honors English I, Honors American Literature, and CP British Literature. Each year, Mr. Billish most looks forward to welcoming his incoming class of freshmen. To him, freshmen are energetic and innocent people who can find intrigue in all aspects of class. He especially enjoys covering grammar with the freshmen. His favorite book to teach is Frankenstein, a part of the CP British Literature curriculum. Each class comes in expecting a scary story about a simpleminded, vicious monster, but the story is far more nuanced. What Mr. Billish finds most fascinating about Frankenstein is that the monster is seen as monstrous not due to natural evil, but rather as a result of neglect.
Mr. Billish also serves as the Girls Cross Country Head Coach and the Girls Track & Field Head Coach. He is appreciative of this opportunity to instruct dedicated individuals. Neither of these sports has cuts, so everybody gets an opportunity. Mr. Billish is proud to see continued improvement from his athletes throughout their four years at Benet.
Outside of school, Mr. Billish likes photography (owls are one of his favorite subjects to photograph), building legos with his sons, and challenging himself in any way he can. Any restaurant that serves sushi, lobster, or other types of seafood is a great one in his book. His favorite movie is Fast Times at Ridgemont High and his favorite TV show is The Office. As any student who has been in his room can attest, Mr. Billish loves music, with his favorite song being “Black” by Pearl Jam. He has a house in Florida and enjoys creating memories there with his family.
