St. Charles North names Pomazak to succeed Gould
The second head varsity football coach in St. Charles North history was officially introduced Monday.
Rob Pomazak, formerly the defensive coordinator for Elk Grove, earned approval as physical education teacher and North Stars head football coach at Monday's meeting of the St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 Board of Education.
Pomazak, 34, succeeds the retiring Mark Gould, the only head coach St. Charles North fielded since the varsity football program debuted in 2001. Gould earned a 63-56 record in his 12 seasons with eight straight playoff appearances between 2002-09.
“Honestly,” Pomazak said, “I just feel an appreciation toward St. Charles North that they've given me this opportunity to take my next step in coaching and in my professional career. Also, I'm obviously appreciative for Elk Grove High School to get me to this point.”
Pomazak, who grew up in Arlington Heights and graduated from Rolling Meadows in 1996, was the lead candidate to emerge from a stringent selection process. St. Charles North athletic director Dan Dolney said 50 people answered the position posting between the North Stars' final game on Oct. 19 and about a week past the Nov. 24 state championships.
Dolney said subsequent phone interviews narrowed the search to eight candidates with four finalists submitted to St. Charles North principal Kim Zupec. The finalists were screened by separate groups of school head coaches, administrators, incumbent football coaches and parents. Dolney said Pomazak got the offer around Jan. 24.
“Rob just brought so many strengths to the table — leadership, enthusiasm, obviously football knowledge — and we definitely felt he presented the qualities that would be the perfect face of the football program, taking over for Mark Gould,” Dolney said.
Pomazak's 3-4 defense was a main reason why 10-2 Elk Grove reached the Class 7A quarterfinals in 2011 and why the Grenadiers made the playoffs the past four years. In 2009 St. Charles North beat Elk Grove 20-14 in a second-round playoff game. Even in last year's 5-5 season Elk Grove led the Mid-Suburban East in fewest points allowed.
Dolney praised Pomazak's motivational and inspirational abilities and cited a “fantastic” background in strength and agility training. Pomazak has helped develop Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State players the last three seasons including linebacker Mikey Maize in 2012.
With a goal always to create turnovers Pomazak said, “Being physical and speed are two things I really try to preach to our kids.”
As a kid, he was a three-year starter on Rolling Meadows' baseball team, shortstop on the 1996 Elite Eight team. A multisport star, Pomazak chose baseball over football when he entered college at Iowa State. He wound up playing at North Central College in Naperville, earning a bachelor's degree in education.
He's since earned a master's in exercise science/health which he's plied the past eight years at Elk Grove. In addition to coaching football at Elk Grove he's also assisted in baseball.
After living five years in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood with his wife, Rebecca, the couple moved to the St. Charles-Elgin border to take advantage of the schooling and community feel. Two months ago the couple found out they were expecting twins, their first children.
Tuesday, Pomazak will meet all the other children he'll soon be responsible for — his first meeting with St. Charles North's football players.
“What better opportunity to interweave yourself into the fabric of a community,” he said.
Ÿ Marty Maciaszek contributed to this story.
Ÿ Follow Dave on Twitter at doberhelman1