By Bobby Narang –
Dan Hartman just wanted to be a coach.
His football coaching and teaching position was in limbo at Hinsdale Central High School, so Hartman started looking at other positions.
He found out earlier this month. Hartman was named the new head football coach at Lyons. He accepted a position as a social studies teacher. Due to the possible elimination of the football program at Hinsdale Central, Hartman said he was worried about his job.
“When the job was posted near the new year, I saw it, and took a long look at it,” Hartman said. “It’s definitely very difficult to leave (Hinsdale Central), but Lyons is a school that I looked at as one of the best jobs in the State. With everything going on with me, not certain of having a teaching position, it made it even more appealing.
“The numbers at LT (Lyons Township) were a big factor, too. They have a lot of kids in the building and the youth program is very strong. The facilities are amazing. They have all those things going, plus room to build.”
The Hinsdale High School District 86 Board voted to eliminate numerous sports, clubs, and activities, most notably football, in December 2018. Hartman acknowledged that factored into his decision to seek a more stable position. He led the Red Devils to five straight trips to the State playoffs, including a West Suburban Silver championship in 2016. Lyons had a streak of nine consecutive playoff appearances snapped last year following a 1-8 record.
“The toughest thing is leaving those (Hinsdale Central) kids,” he said. “They invested three years in the program, were a great group of kids, and I wish all the best for them. I’m thankful for all the support I got from Hinsdale.
“But anytime you start something new, there’s that initial rush of energy on building something from the ground up, taking what you learned from the previous stop and applying it to your new situation. You learn to grow as a coach and create something special.”
Hinsdale Central athletics director Dan Jones said the football program remains in limbo until the $139.8 Million referendum ballot is voted on in the April 2 election, which would stop the cuts to the football program and other programs if the referendum is voted down.
“If football is reinstated, we will fill the head coaching position and any assistant positions that might be open as soon as we can,” Jones said. “We will be looking to fill that position, so that we continue the work that our athletes are doing. If given the opportunity, our staff will work hard to be ready for next season.”