It’s common for fathers to coach their sons’ teams in Pee Wee football or Little League baseball. It’s less common to see a dad coaching his son’s team in high school athletics.

But the trend usually ends there.

It’s much less common for a father to coach his son’s college team.

Men’s cross country head coach Paul Pilkington and his son Seth Pilkington have been working together as long as they can remember.

Seth is a transfer student from Oregon. He ran for the University of Oregon for one year, went on a church missionary trip in Greece for two years and then transferred to Illinois this year. Academically, he is a sophomore in LAS.

“The only year I didn’t coach him was at Oregon,” Paul said. “I coached him all through high school so it really hasn’t been different for us.”

There are certain advantages to working together for so long.

“We work well together,” Paul said. “I’ve watched him run enough. I know how far to push him.”

Paul has been coaching for 23 years but is only in his second year with the Illini. He was an assistant track and field coach at Weber State, his alma mater, before coaching at Illinois. Besides coaching at Weber State, Paul privately coached five female U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers and numerous high school champions in Utah, his home state.

As a senior in high school, Seth was heavily recruited. He narrowed his final choices down to Stanford, Oregon, BYU and Weber State. When he was choosing a college, his father was not yet coaching for Weber State, and therefore did not factor into Seth’s initial decision.

“I decided to transfer because he was coaching (Illinois),” Seth said. “I wanted to run for my dad.”

He originally chose Oregon for its storied cross country program.

“Oregon has won more NCAA titles than any other school,” Seth said. “They have lots of tradition, great coaches and a great program.”

Paul is glad his son transferred on the basis of him coaching the cross country team but knows Illinois was a good academic choice for his son, too.

“It’s a win-win situation for (Seth),” he said. “He gets to be coached by me and earn a great education here.”

Paul and his wife Darby have three kids. Their only daughter, Erin, plays soccer for Illinois.

“Paul is very involved in all three children’s lives,” said Darby.

She said because the family is so involved in soccer and cross country, many of their family vacations are to soccer games or meets.

Seth appreciates Paul’s involvement in his life.

Some people might have a hard time taking instructions from their fathers, but that’s not the case for Seth.

“We have a good relationship,” Seth said. “We never argue or have any disputes.”

Paul attributes this to Seth’s upbringing and early experience in the cross country world.

“He knows I know what I’m doing,” he said. “He’s grown up around world-class athletes, and he knows I know what it takes to get an athlete to the next level.”