‘Ready to roll’: Former Bears’ kicker Robbie Gould announced as Rolling Meadows’ new football coach
Rolling Meadows High School’s selection for its new head football coach finally became official.
Four days after meeting with his players for the first time, former Bears kicker Robbie Gould was introduced to the media Tuesday as the ninth head football coach in the program’s history. Gould said he is anxious to get started.
“This has been a little bit of a whirlwind for everybody.” Gould said. “We had to do some things by District (214) policy to make sure I am cleared by HR. I can tell you that I am cleared by HR and I am ready to roll.”
Gould was the Bears’ kicker from 2005 through 2015, become the team’s all-time leading scorer. The 10th leading scorer in NFL history, Gould also played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers before retiring in December.
Gould said he was surprised by the large media turnout for a ceremony announcing a new high school coach.
“No one cared when I retired from the NFL, “Gould said. “It was a process for me when I retired, and I was helping at another high school program, and I was trying to figure out what life after football looked like. But I just know that in my heart of hearts that I fell in love with high school football.”
Gould said he will not have a teaching position at Rolling Meadows. He will be outside the building like Hersey head football coach Tom Nelson. But Gould said he will be around for weightlifting and meetings with the players.
“High school football has a lot of boxes for me that I check for me as a person,” Gould said. “To me, it is pretty exciting to be able to work with kids and see how they develop. To me, that is why you do it.”
“I was shocked when I found out Robbie Gould was going to be our new coach,” said junior Peyton Wiles, who started at middle linebacker and tight end for the Mustangs last year and will be a three-year varsity player.
“As soon as we found out on Friday that he was our new coach, it has inspired me to work as hard as I can.”
Junior safety Gunnar Woetzel, another returning starter, said he is looking to Gould for guidance in areas outside football.
“My expectations are not just for football but for life goals,” Woetzel said. “I could see myself doing this in college, but after college then what? I am really excited for that part.”
Gould says all of that is part of his plan.
“I want to make sure the kids get the resources they need to be successful,” he said. “And set them up for life after sports.”
Junior Anthony Polenzani was especially excited. Polenzani, who was the backup kicker to Gabe Cherwin, said he is looking forward to the extra kicking tips from Gould.
“I hope to just get better overall,” Polenzani said. “I am looking to get more power on my kicks and hopefully play in college.”
Gould inherits a program that failed to reach the playoffs the last two seasons after going 2-7 last year and 4-5 the previous year. This after the Mustangs qualified in 17 of the 18 previous seasons.
Gould does have some high school coaching experience. He was a volunteer assistant for Fremd last season. Gould made sure he thanked the Vikings for the opportunity to get a feel for the high school game.
“I would have never realized that being the head coach of a high school football team would have ever happened if I didn’t go there,” Gould said. “It was awesome that they allowed me to come out and work with the staff and the kids. To me, it is something that opened my eyes to something that I would have never thought about doing.”
Gould also said he got the coaching bug from his father, who coached soccer and softball at the high school level, and his brother Chris, who is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Chargers.
But Gould is quick to point out his NFL experience didn’t just feature kicking.
“The best part of being a kicker is that you get to talk to everybody,” Gould said. “No matter what the positions are, you can watch whatever individual drill you want. I could go to any meeting I wanted to and be able to listen and learn and understand what it takes to win. I was very thankful to be in that position. But you have to love football to be able to want to do that. I don’t think that everyone wants to do that.”
Gould will become the second former NFL player to coach in the Mid Suburban East. Nelson, entering his third season with Hersey, played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles and the Bears.
Gould said he reached out to Carmel head coach and former Bears player Jason McKie for some advice.
Gould said he also contacted former Rolling Meadows quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, a teammate of Gould’s when both played for the San Francisco 49ers.
Rolling Meadows, which is part of District 214, is embroiled in a disagreement with the Bears on the value of the Arlington Park racetrack property purchased by the team. Gould said he did not want to get involved in politics but recognized the need for the Bears to build a new stadium.
“I am a football coach at Rolling Meadows High School,” Gould said. “I am not a public servant, or someone who is going to be involved with it or has to be involved with it. That’s not why I took the job. I will say, it would be great for the community and great for the surrounding areas.”
Gould said he applied at Rolling Meadows because it is close to his home in the Northwest suburbs where his wife and three children live.
“My kids got the gear on Friday,” Gould said. “And I don’t think they took it off for five days and showed it to their classmates.”