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Jacobs baseball coach Kehoe resigns

Jacobs baseball coach Erik Kehoe did not want to resign after one season, but he felt obligated to make that tough choice in the best interest of his family, he said Friday.

Kehoe, who was hired last November, resigned Thursday after he was unable to secure a full-time teaching position within District 300 for the upcoming school year. He, his wife and two young daughters will move to Arizona in search of a better opportunity.

“School is starting on Monday and, I haven’t been able to obtain a teaching position in the district,” Kehoe said. “I made it clear I aspired to be a teacher and nothing came about.

“I met with the players (Thursday). Some of them had a hard time with the news, but I made it clear I was just doing what’s best for me and my family at this point. I told the kids there may come a time in your life when you have to make a difficult decision that might hurt somebody, but you have to do what’s best for you and your family.”

Kehoe said moving to Arizona to coach and teach has been in the back of his mind since his college days. After two seasons at the College of DuPage, he transferred to Arizona State, where he played until an injury shortened his career.

Kehoe departs Aug. 20 for Scottsdale, where he will run a fall league for the Arcadia Baseball Club. He hopes to find a teaching/coaching position at a Scottsdale area high school as soon as possible.

Kehoe led Jacobs to a 14-19 finish last spring. The Golden Eagles won a playoff game before they were defeated by host Huntley in a regional semifinal, 5-4.

Kehoe also led Streamwood in 2006 and 2007 (19-48). Previously, he spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach at Glenbard North, and he later assisted at Downers Grove South and Lake Park.

The Golden Eagles will take the field in the spring of 2012 under their fourth coach in six seasons. However, Kehoe believes the program is on the right track. He only regrets he won’t be around to see it succeed.

“I hope the players stay with their weight lifting and fall programs,” Kehoe said. “Who knows? This could even make them a more close-knit group.

“I made a lot of great relationships over there, and I hope to keep in touch with the players and coaches. The building was great in welcoming me in. But at the end of the day, I had hoped to parlay coaching into a teaching position with all the elementary and junior high schools in the district.

“It just wasn’t meant to be.”