Carlson fast breaks to St. Viator AD job
Tim Carlson is used to making quick transitions on the basketball court as a player and coach.
Now Carlson is making one professionally.
On Thursday, Carlson was named St. Viator's athletic director. Carlson was the boys basketball coach and boys athletic diretor the last four years at Guerin Prep in River Grove and replaces Lynn Gaziano, who left in July to take the same position at Glenbard East.
"I'll be jumping in with both feet," Carlson laughed of moving into his new job Monday just as the 2008-09 high school sports season is starting. "There won't be any time to just put my toes in, but I'm looking forward to it."
Carlson is familiar with the East Suburban Catholic Conference as a 1998 graduate of Holy Cross, which closed in 2004 as neighboring Guerin became a co-ed school.
Carlson played basketball, baseball and soccer at Holy Cross before going to Dominican University in River Forest. He coached high school basketball the last 10 years but also liked the idea of overseeing an entire athletic program such as St. Viator.
"I enjoyed being a coach and an athletic director and there was always something that intrigued me about a program the size of St. Viator," Carlson said. "After talking to some people I thought it would probably be worth looking into."
And Carlson knows he's not entering a situation that needs significant changes.
"St. Viator teams have a great tradition already in athletics so I'm not coming in to overhaul the program," Carlson said. "I want to continue the standard of excellence.
"Education is first and athletics is a secondary part of the academic experience. I want the experience to be the best possible experience for the student-athletes it can be."
Carlson was 55-63 in his tenure as Guerin's boys basketball coach with regional titles in his first and last seasons.
"I think November 10th I might have a bout with nostalgia," Carlson said of the first day of baskteball practice. "But I've come to the realization I'm OK with it.
"I've coached the last 10 years at the high school level but at the same token, I've enjoyed the position of athletic director and it's something I've embraced as well."
The same is true for leaving a place that was a big part of Carlson's life the last 18 years.
"It was going to take something unique and something special to pull me away," Carlson said of Guerin.
Girls golf
Co-op team wins: Carly Schneider of the South Elgin/Bartlett/Streamwood co-op girls golf team shot a 74 Thursday to take second place individually and lead her the squad to a fourth place finish in the Barrington Invitational. Abby Horan of Lakes won the event with a 72 and St. Charles East took the team title with a 320. Barrington was second at 338, Libertyville third at 357 and the South Elgin co-op fourth at 359 in the 13-school event.
Boys golf
Cary-Grove d. Huntley: Matt Efflandt shot a medalist round of 38 at Pinecrest Thursday to lead Cary-Grove to a 156-180 win over Huntley in a Fox Valley Conference match. Ryan Kwech and Scott Brady each fired 39s for the Trojans, while Tyler Bulterman had a 40. Tyler Lawrence led Huntley with a 43, Chris Krawczyk had a 45 and Zach Petit and Mackenzie Roeser each had 46s.
South Elgin d. Plainfield North: Sophomore Ryan Pondel shot a medalist round of 36 as South Elgin downed Plainfield North 152-169 at the Bolingbrook Golf Club. Drew Biddle had a 38, while John Luzelka and Xavier Owens each had 39s for the Storm.
Dundee-Crown d. Prairie Ridge: Jordan Nelson shot a 1-under 35 at Bonnie Dundee to lead the Chargers to a 151-156 Fox Valley Conference win over PR. Alex Campe had a 36 for D-C, Steve Cathony a 40 and Jarrett Wollenberg a 41.
General
Hampshire loses appeal: The Illinois High School Association Wednesday denied Hampshire High School's appeal to remain in Class A in two-class sports and Class 2A in four-class sports. Hampshire's enrollment for the new school year has been established at 892, meaning the school's athletic teams will be classified in Class AA for two-class sports, Class 2A for three-class sports and Class 3A for four-class activities.