Schlueter out as Jacobs football coach
Dean Schlueter will not be retained as football coach at Jacobs High School, he confirmed on Wednesday.
Schlueter coached the Golden Eagles for 13 seasons to a record of 55-68. His teams reached the state playoffs four times, most recently in 2006. Jacobs finished 2-7 each of the past two seasons.
Schlueter said he was informed of the decision last Thursday in a meeting with Jacobs Principal Michael Bregy and athletic director Tom Ross. He informed his coaching staff on Tuesday morning and broke the news to his team later in the day.
"I was crushed," Schlueter said of not being retained as coach. "But I really feel blessed and thankful and grateful for everything that's happened to me here. They have been so good to me here. I'm grateful for how they've treated me and how supportive they've been, the opportunities and the relationships I've had. So, I feel very grateful."
Schlueter will remain a teacher in the Algonquin school's physical education department. He is set to retire from teaching at the end of the 2012-13 school year.
Bregy declined to comment on specific reasons for the coaching change, citing his respect for Schlueter.
"The administration here is prepared to embrace challenges and changes for all of our school programs," Bregy said. "I oversee every program in the building and Mr. Ross and I are aligning the visions of our programs in the building both athletically and academically. In many schools they are very separate.
"Mr. Ross and I worked very collaboratively toward this shared vision academically and athletically. It includes the most effective instruction and the most effective coaching practices that ultimately result in academic and athletic success for our students."
Though it was Schlueter's desire to remain the football coach at Jacobs until retirement, he defended the right of his principal and athletic director to move in a different direction.
"Here's the thing that I really believe in," Schlueter said, "and I told Michael and Tom this and I told the players this: If they think they can find a better person than me to be the head football coach, they should hire him. And I believe that.
"Tom and Michael are good guys. I believe their hearts' intent is for the best of Jacobs. They have the responsibility, and I think they should have the freedom to make that choice. And I'll accept that. It hurts, but I'll accept that. They should be able to do that. They need to do what's best for the school. I'm OK with that."
The search for the seventh football coach in the school's history will begin soon.
"Once everything is finalized and completed, we'll post the job and begin an interview process for a new coach," Ross said.
Asked if that search will include candidates from outside District 300, Ross said, "Yes. Our objective is to bring in the best coach possible."