Bauer to take over as Jacobs' new AD

Jeremy Bauer figured the time would come when he had to make a choice between continuing to coach and moving into administration.

That time has arrived.

Bauer, Jacobs' boys golf and girls softball coach, was approved Monday night by the District 300 board of education as the Golden Eagles' new athletic director. He takes over for Dan Vosnos, who left Jacobs after two years to be the new AD at Homewood-Flossmoor.

"It's definitely bittersweet," said Bauer, a Mendota High School and NIU graduate. "I new the day would come when I'd have to make the decision to be a lifetime coach or follow my dream of being an administrator. It's good timing right now for my family and myself. I've got a lot of support from my family and from the administration to make this move and with those people having the confidence in me, it was time."

Bauer has been Jacobs' varsity softball coach for 11 years and the school's boys golf head coach for eight seasons, both positions he will relinquish.

In softball, he went 248-126 and won regional titles in 2005, 2010, 2011 and 2012. His 2012 team finished 25-15 and advanced to the Elite Eight. This spring, the Golden Eagles finished 17-13.

Jacobs also won regional titles in boys golf under Bauer in 2008 and 2013.

Bauer, who has sons ages 8 (Jacobs) and 4 (Owen), said jumping into his first AD's job at the school he knows well should make the transition easier.

"The comfort factor is there with knowing the coaches and the administration," he said. "There will be things to learn on the fly but I'm really excited to get this started."