Stone steps aside at Mundelein
The development of young football players didn't work out like Bob Stone hoped it would at Mundelein.
Now, the longtime coach will get to focus on a potential football player, his new grandson.
Stone announced during the Mustangs' recent season-ending football banquet that he is stepping down as head coach after four seasons. His daughter Sarah gave birth to Jordan on June 2, making Bob and Pam first-time grandparents.
"I told the (team) that I'm 59 years old, I just had my first grandchild and I didn't think I accomplished what I wanted to do with the kids, so I'm resigning from football," Stone said.
Stone came to Mundelein after long runs at Joliet Catholic Academy and West Chicago. In his four seasons with the Mustangs, they went 4-32, including 0-9 this year. They avoided a winless campaign last year by edging Zion-Benton 14-13 in Week 9.
Stone's biggest win came in Week 9 of the previous season, in 2009, when the Mustangs upset visiting Libertyville 7-0, denying the Wildcats a chance at an at-large state playoff berth. Mundelein also beat Wauconda that season.
The Mustangs went 1-8 in Stone's first season, in 2008, rallying to defeat Zion-Benton in Week 7.
Mundelein has been to the state playoffs only twice in its history, in 2002 under former Mustangs star Jeff Geary and in 2004 under Dave Whitson.
"For the kids in the program already, they got to put the time in the weight room," Stone said when asked what the program needs to do in order to be a playoff contender again. "You always have a good core, but not as many as you'd like. There are good athletes at Mundelein, as you see in other sports. If you can lure some of them to football, that would help.
"And if you can get two good classes in a row," he added, "that can really switch things around."
Stone had a great eight-year run as head coach at Joliet Catholic from 1989-1996, compiling an 80-19 record. The Hilltoppers won the Class 4A state championship in 1990, going 14-0. They were the state runner-up in Class 5A in both 1992 (12-2) and 1996 (10-4).
He then spent 10 years at West Chicago as athletic director and head football coach. His Wildcats went a combined 24-67, making the Class 8A playoffs in 2002.
Mundelein athletic director Perry Wilhelm said the head-coaching position has been posted and he's been receiving applications and phone calls. He said he'll begin sifting through all the applicants shortly.
Stone, who teaches physical education at the high school, said he doesn't have any immediate plans to coach next season. He might serve as an assistant but won't look to become a head coach again.
"I wouldn't be able to make the commitment," he said.