Bartlett tabs Wolfsmith to lead program
Count Jim Wolfsmith as the latest dual-sport coach in the Upstate Eight Conference.
And it's not just two sports Wolfsmith will now be the head coach of at Bartlett High School -- it's back-to-back sports.
Wolfsmith, who has been Bartlett's head softball coach the past four years, will be officially named this morning as the interim head varsity boys basketball coach for the Hawks, replacing Tom Lamberti, who stepped down July 24 after four years at the helm.
Wolfsmith, who will turn 41 on Sept. 10, becomes the third UEC softball coach to also take over the boys basketball program at his school. Cray Allen at Lake Park and Larry Hight at Larkin will also have those dual roles this year after landing the basketball jobs recently at their respective schools.
"At this point in my life I'm pretty well set on how I want things done and the way to do it," said Wolfsmith Tuesday night. "Had I not been the softball coach the past four years I'm not sure I could have done this but I know how to get a season started in both sports.
"It'll be busy but it will be a fun busy."
Wolfsmith is a graduate of Luther North High School, Valparaiso University and Concordia-River Forest. He began his coaching career at Luther North where, after two years as an underclass coach, he coached the varsity boys team for five seasons. While at Luther North, Wolfsmith was able to draw knowledge from IBCA Hall of Fame girls coach Frank Mattucci, who after leaving Luther North won two girls state championships at Stevenson High School.
"I watched him and learned an awful lot from him," Wolfsmith said of the now-retired Mattucci. "He was a great coach."
Wolfsmith came to Bartlett when the school opened in 1997. After serving one season as a freshman assistant, he spent five years as head sophomore coach and then the last four seasons as Lamberti's varsity assistant.
As the Hawks' softball coach the past four years, Wolfsmith has built the program into a state tournament team. Bartlett made its first Elite Eight softball appearance last spring.
"There's no question the easiest transition to make is from assistant to head coach," Wolfsmith said. "I know the kids in the program and that will make it easier, especially considering just getting the job now.
"When we get going in November we'll be doing a lot of early hard work to get the things in place I want to do."
Wolfsmith said his basketball coaching style will mirror what he's done with the softball team -- being aggressive and taking it to the opponent.
"You're going to see a very aggressive, pressure-type of team," he said. "I believe in pushing the ball up the court and pressuring the ball all over the court. We'll run things with a lot of variety and we'll be an up-tempo team."
Bartlett, which owns just one regional championship in boys basketball (2001), was 10-19 last season and 33-79 under Lamberti.
As for the interim tag to Wolfsmith's title, Bartlett athletic director Dan Kallenbach said it's more of a safeguard than anything, basically because the timing of Lamberti's resignation didn't allow for a full-blown coach search.
"This way we can let Jim get to work with the team and then solidify everything in the spring," Kallenbach said.