10 years and still going strong

It started as a mound of dirt, the first new high school in Elgin Area School District U-46 in roughly 20 years.

Now, 11 years later it has become an athletic program that has become one of the tops in the state.

Bartlett High School is coming to the end of its 10th year of varsity sports and over these 10 years, we've seen the Hawks' programs evolve from obscurity to prominence in almost every sport offered.

And in speaking with the five athletic department staff members at Bartlett who have been there since the beginning, it was clear they all feel Bartlett's progress and success comes down to one thing: The people.

"We've had people who have been here for a while," said athletic director Dan Kallenbach, who left Streamwood 12 years ago and has been running the Hawks' ship ever since. "In the beginning there was a lot of hand-holding for basic needs. Now these people take care of their own day-to-day needs and that allows us to focus on bigger things in our office. We're not new anymore and we have things to take care of."

In that office, Kallenbach is blessed to have had the same secretary -- and believe me, she's much more than a secretary -- since the beginning in Cindy Connor, one of the best in our area at what she does. Connor says the biggest changes she's seen in helping run the athletic department is technology.

"Everything's computerized and much smoother now. We used to have so much paper," Connor laughed.

Connor being in the same job for these 11 years has made Kallenbach's life easier, that's for sure.

"My job has gone from just typing schedules to being so familiar with everything that I just do it. When people call, I used to make them just wait for Dan, now I just take care of what they need. It's like second nature."

Connor says the people around the Bartlett sports community are what make it so special.

"All the way from the administrative group, to the teachers and coaches and students, it's just a great group of people to work with," said Connor, who was an administrative assistant in the insurance business before landing the job at Bartlett.

Bartlett's programs have achieved success in many sport and are competitive in all. Most notably, of course, was the 2004-05 girls basketball season when the Hawks played for the Class AA state championship. Last spring, the softball team made it to the Elite Eight, the football team has been to the playoffs eight straight years, the boys golf program has been a state contender several times and the school has produced its share of high-profile college athletes.

"It was really fun to come over and start fresh at a new school," said girls basketball coach Denise Sarna, who also came to Bartlett from Streamwood. "Everybody was excited and the community has always been great. Right from the beginning people were jumping on board and we've has a booster club that's been able to provide us with many great things."

Bartlett's programs didn't win from the get-go. Sarna's first varsity team won 1 game.

"But those kids were great kids to coach," said Sarna, who has also been an assistant AD at the school the past 5 years. "So many great kids have passed through here and they've all contributed. One of the coolest things is that when we went downstate, I got cards, letters and e-mails from kids who played on those first teams. The kids in this school have always made me smile."

Kallenbach believes Bartlett's success has also been a product of administrative and community support.

"We have a community that really values what we do," he said. "There's a relationship with the community and it's a testament to the community that we've had stable programs with no real big changes. That establishes the framework of the whole program."

Head baseball coach Rocco Marinucci, who has also been at Bartlett since the doors opener, echoes that.

"We get great community support and year in and year out we get kids who aren't opposed to hard work," he said. "I've been fortunate to pretty much have the same coaching staff and that consistency is important. We don't have any better facilities than anyone else and we face the same hardships as every school. We're fortunate to have good people here."

Hard-working athletes have also been a key for the building of the boys volleyball program under John Breines, a teacher at Bartlett Elementary School who has been the Hawks' coach since they first turned the key.

"The programs have all grown and gotten stronger," said Breines, who is being assisted this year by former Division I standout Brandon Mueller. "I've been very blessed to have kids who work hard for me. I've had a lot of help and the parents have helped raise a lot of money."

With the programs stable and in the hands of capable people, Kallenbach would like to see things grow at Bartlett, specifically on the school's campus. For everything people may think Bartlett has, the school does not have its own football/soccer stadium.

"I'd like to figure out a way to put a stadium in here and the community is working for us," Kallenbach said. "Our new principal (Kevin Skinkis) is an athletics guy and he doesn't want us to be standing still. Kevin realizes the pride in the building. I get the same budget as the other schools in the district and we have three times the athletes. We have to be a lot more cautious about where we put our money and we do have to put the pressure on the parent groups, not for the niceties but for the necessities."

You've come a long way in 10 years, Bartlett, even if it doesn't seem like it's been 10 years.

"It's gone by in a heartbeat and it's been a great ride," Kallenbach said.

Yes it has, Dan, yes it has.