District U-46 cuts bite deep into athletics

While much could, and probably will, change between now and the end of the school year, the total number of coaches and coaching positions affected by this week's Elgin Area School District U-46 layoffs is staggering.

Data supplied to the Daily Herald by the district's five high schools show 147 coaching positions affected by the layoffs, which at present has claimed the jobs of over 700 teachers in the state's second largest school district.

Over 100 individuals who currently are high school coaches in the district have either been RIF'd (Reduction In Force), displaced or have resigned. A total of 45 head coaching positions are affected and at least 109 individuals.

Each high school will also lose one of the two assistant athletic directors they currently have and the one remaining assistant AD will have a full teaching load.

"It's going to be tough," said Elgin High athletic director Gwen Poore. "We have our challenges, but we'll get through it."

Bartlett and Streamwood high schools were hardest hit. At Bartlett, 38 positions, 25 people and 10 head coaches are lost, while at Streamwood the cuts have affected 47 coaching positions and 29 individuals, including 11 head coaches.

As staggering as those numbers are, they are sure to change.

"We're in a hold pattern until we see how the trickle-down effect comes out," said Poore, whose school has 23 coaching positions, including 11 head coaches and the team physician on the list.

"We now have the voluntary process to go through and we have to hire (Elgin Teachers Association) members before we hire from outside," Poore explained. "We're looking at probably May before we know our teaching staffing for next year."

What that means is that many laid off and displaced coaches could be called back by the district.

A three-part process now takes place. The voluntary process, which goes for two weeks, gives RIF'd or displaced teachers the right to apply for an open position in a new building. They are not guaranteed a position and have to go through the application process.

The second phase is the involuntary process. Teachers who select that route wait to hear which jobs are still open that they are qualified for. While they are guaranteed a job in the involuntary process, they are not guaranteed which building they will teach in or a schedule.

Finally, if jobs still remain open, teachers who were RIF'd then can claim any remaining positions, by seniority.

"Whoever replaces me is going to have a tough job," said Gertz, who has resigned from the AD position at Streamwood at the end of the school year.

South Elgin lost the fewest head coaches - six - but did lose 30 positions and 20 people. But Storm athletic director Jim Szymczak was quick to point out that the situation certainly could change between now and May. And he praised the dedication of the school's collective coaching staff.

"Many of our coaches want to come back regardless if they're teaching in the building," Szymczak said. "I've told them they're still in place until we know what's going to happen. They really want to be there for the kids."

Some of the more notable head coaches who have been RIF'd or displaced include, at Streamwood, head football coach Cal Cummins, boys and girls volleyball coach David Buehring and softball coach Nick Baird. Streamwood lost its entire coaching staff in girls volleyball and softball as well as 9 out of 12 basketball coaches (4 boys and 5 girls). Head baseball coach Steve Diversey has been displaced.

At Larkin, where 19 coaches were RIF'd, football coach Matt Gehrig has resigned and taken that same position at Huntley.

Also RIF'd at Larkin were boys basketball coach Deryn Carter, head wrestling coach Mike Mulhearn, head baseball coach Matt Esterino and head cheerleading coach Mary Esdorn. Girls volleyball coach Gail Johnson recently resigned that position.

Bartlett also lost its cheerleading coach, Jenna Windt, as did South Elgin in Jennifer Hayward.

At Elgin, girls basketball coach and team physician Dr. Nick Bumbales, wrestling coach Justin Goebel, boys and girls volleyball coach Keith Foster, softball coach Chad Dahlman and girls soccer coach Cesar Rosales are among those on the list.

"They've told us callbacks will start April 30. I'm keeping my fingers crossed," said Dahlman, a third-year physical education teacher at Abbott Middle School who is Elgin's first-year varsity softball coach.

Beyond the personnel issues, Poore said cutting coaches will also cause a cut in programs, especially at the underclass levels. The district has also cut middle school football across the board as it attempts to make $44 million in overall cuts.

"A lot of it comes down to where we can help with the budget," Poore said. "We have to determine how many coaches we need for each sport. As an example, we're only going to have one cross country coach. Cutting coaches will cause other cuts. It will vary from sport to sport."

Even the "major sports" there will be some cuts. Poore said Elgin will cut back from 10 football coaches to eight and that football and basketball would have three levels instead of four. One level of baseball and softball was cut for the current spring season as well.

"We also know we have some coaches willing to split stipends and we will have some volunteer coaches," Poore said. "The coaches know they're going to have to spend more time. It's going to be tough. They'll have a lot of responsibility."

Poore said the district's high schools took a 20 percent cut to their operating budgets this year.

"We've had to rely more on the booster club and they've been very helpful," she said. "We haven't been told next year's budget yet. We're also trying to help with transportation and cutting some of the levels will help with that. Transportation is a big factor."