Goff leaving Kaneland for DeKalb; Knights' conference search continues

Kaneland's search for a new conference continues, and now the Knights also will be looking for a new athletic director.

Peter Goff, Kaneland's athletic director the past four years, is leaving for the same position at DeKalb, a school five minutes from his home.

His resignation became official Tuesday. He'll work at Kaneland through June 30 before starting at DeKalb on July 1.

"There's a lot of reasons," Goff said. "DeKalb is a great community. Look at the facilities. You look at the community, you look at the student-athletes, the administration. I get closer to home so I can get home when I need to quicker. That's one big reason. Just a lot of great things. I was in a win-win situation."

Goff began at Kaneland July 1, 2014. Prior to that, he served as Dean of Students at Sycamore High School for two years.

Goff also has been a history teacher and head boys basketball coach in Bloomington.

"I've enjoyed my time at Kaneland," Goff said. "It's been four great years. I can't believe it's been four years. I just kept grinding here, getting things done and this opportunity came up and I was very fortunate to be given this opportunity which I'm very grateful to DeKalb. And I'm awful grateful to the Kaneland community who took an athletic director who has been around sports his whole life but not really an athletic director and they have let me grow and it's been a great four years here. I'm proud of the things we have done as a staff, as a community and as a school district."

Goff and Kaneland principal Jill Maras have been busy trying to find a conference for the Knights. Next year is the last for the Northern Illinois Big XII.

Last Friday Kaneland met with the Interstate Eight, which includes Morris, Sycamore, Rochelle, Plano, Sandwich, LaSalle-Peru and Ottawa.

Originally the conference offered Kaneland a spot for a one year probationary period and the Knights would not be allowed voting rights or a chance to compete for conference championships. After Kaneland asked about becoming a full member, the conference said the Knights can contend for conference titles and after a year the conference will decide if Kaneland becomes a permanent member.

Kaneland is going to take the proposal to the school board April 30 for a vote. The I8 gave Kaneland until the end of April to decide.

"I think everybody is worried mostly about their growth," Plano athletic director Jim Schmidt said. "People are worried more about their enrollment and size. There's 1,400 kids, they fit the Ottawas of the world and L-P and Sycamores but what we don't want to see is create a conference where the smaller schools like Plano and Sandwich wind up leaving the conference because they can't compete."

Plano has an enrollment of 717.

"I don't think we want to make it as a probationary status, we want to see how they fit," Schmidt said. "Let's see what happens with their enrollment, their growth and see how they do in the conference. Obviously you don't want to create a conference that one school wins the championship every year and nobody else even had a chance. I think you want it to be a fair chance for everybody to win a conference championship."

Schmidt said it will be "back to the drawing board" if Kaneland says no and there's a good chance the conference will start with seven schools.

The Knights have another option, the NIC-10, which could add Kaneland and DeKalb. Current members are Rockton Hononegah, Rockford Auburn, Rockford East, Belvidere, Belvidere North, Harlem, Rockford Boylan, Rockford Guilford, Freeport and Rockford Jefferson.

Kaneland sent the NIC-10 the information they requested and NIC-10 officials are coming to Kaneland on April 25 to do a site visit. Kaneland will make presentations to the principals and athletic directors from those schools May 2 in Rockford - if it hasn't already decided to join the I8.

Goff said he's in a unique situation with concerns about where both Kaneland and DeKalb end up.

"I want to do what's best for Kaneland and I also have to keep an eye on what's going on for DeKalb," Goff said.

In addition to finding a new conference and new athletic director, Kaneland also has to replace boys basketball coach Joe Conroy.