Grant names Behm baseball coach

Dave Behm turns 25 next Wednesday. He just received an early birthday present.

The 2002 Grant alumnus was named head baseball coach at his high school alma mater on Wednesday, becoming the latest former Bulldog to take over a program for which he once starred.

Behm replaces Mike Mizwicki, who become athletic director at Round Lake this summer.

"I'm excited - really excited," Behm said. "It's pretty much the job I wanted since I left high school. I didn't think it would happen this quick, but that just makes it that much better."

Behm was a three-sport athlete at Grant, excelling in football, basketball and baseball. As a sophomore, he was a member of the 1999 Grant football team that won a then-school-record nine games, including the program's first-ever in the playoffs, against Nazareth. A tight end/linebacker, Behm helped put the Bulldogs in the playoffs again his senior year.

On the basketball court, Behm started at forward on a team that won 20 games and earned a regional-final berth his senior year.

In baseball, as pitcher and third baseman, he helped Grant win a regional game his junior year and the North Suburban Prairie Division championship the following season.

Grant athletic director Mark Barczak served as Behm's head football coach.

"I'm very impressed with him," Barczak said. "We have a little history together and it's been positive."

History means something at Grant, which is developing a reputation of taking care of its own. Fellow head coaches Kurt Rous (football), Wayne Bosworth (boys basketball), John Eiduke (girls basketball) and Jeff Durlak (boys and girls cross country) are also graduates of the Fox Lake school.

"David," Barczak said of Behm, "he's part of the family."

Behm played baseball at both the College of Lake County and Judson University in Elgin, graduating from the latter with a degree in physical education.

He'll teach P.E. at Grant after spending the last two years as a teacher and coach at Big Hollow Elementary School in Ingleside. He served as Grant's pitching coach the last two springs under Mizwicki, who helped mentor the former Grant star.

"My junior year was his first at Grant," Behm said. "I learned a ton from him as a player and even more as a coach underneath him."

Behm, who's also coaching sophomore football for the third straight year, directed Grant's baseball team this summer.

"He's intense, but quiet," Barczak said. "He's a very studious person and just a fine coach. He's very energetic."