Elgin's Kim to be new AD at Grayslake C.

For four seasons Tom Kim taught his Elgin football team to face new challenges.

When given the opportunity to face a new challenge himself, Kim felt compelled to heed his own advice.

Kim, Elgin's assistant athletic director, was named the new athletic director of Grayslake Central High School on Thursday evening, a job he will officially begin on July 1.

"This was not an easy decision," said Kim, a North Park graduate who taught social studies at Elgin for eight years. "I live in this community. This was definitely tough. I've made a lot of great friends here and I've worked with a lot of great administrators, teachers and coaches.

"My administration has always been behind me, and you don't find that everywhere. I've always loved working with these kids. In my four years as head coach, these kids have always played hard for me no matter who we played against."

Kim was an assistant football coach for four seasons before he was given the nod as head coach in 2004. In four seasons at Elgin, his Maroons went 11-25.

Kim also served as Elgin's girls track coach for two seasons and was an assistant coach.

Kim has yet to formally resign his position at Elgin, but said he plans to do so shortly.

"This is an exciting opportunity for me," Kim said. "It came my way and I decided at this point that this was something I wanted to take a shot at. This is an opportunity where I thought all the little pieces around the big picture fit as well, which is what made it an opportunity I wanted to take advantage of. That's pretty much what it boiled down to."