Sawyer to leave Dundee-Crown at season’s end

Leaving his alma mater at the end of the school year to teach and coach at another high school was a choice Dundee-Crown baseball coach Jon Sawyer hoped he’d never have to make, but the 2000 graduate felt he had no choice.

Sawyer, 29, was notified in March he could lose his teaching position in D-C’s Physical Education department due to a reduction in force in Community Unit School District 300. Thus, the married father of a four-month-old daughter began searching for a more stable position.

That search ended Wednesday morning when Sawyer signed a contract to teach Life Fitness at Grayslake North High School, where he previously taught and coached for three years before he returned to Dundee-Crown for the 2007-08 school year. The contract is expected to be approved when the Grayslake Community High School District 127 board meets next week.

“When I came to Dundee-Crown four years ago and got the head (baseball) job, I was probably thinking I’d retire there,” Sawyer said Wednesday morning. “Emotionally, it’s a tough move, but it’s definitely the right move for my family. It’s a good thing because I had a really good experience at Grayslake North and that school district before. I’m lucky to get back in there.”

Sawyer is completing his third season as Dundee-Crown’s baseball coach. He replaced his high school coach, IHSBCA hall-of-famer Fred Bencriscutto, upon his retirement. Sawyer has also been a football coach at the lower levels at D-C.

“It’s been a great few years with Jon and I hate to see him leave, but I understand,” Dundee-Crown athletic director Dick Storm said. “It’s hard to lose someone you know real well, a good guy like him. I wish him nothing but the best.”

Storm said the coaching vacancy will be posted soon.

After two rebuilding years with underclassmen playing at multiple positions, Sawyer’s senior-led Chargers are enjoying a renaissance season in 2011. They won their 20th game of the season Tuesday, the first time they’ve reached that mark since 2007. It was Dundee-Crown’s seventh win in eight games, lifting Sawyer’s overall record in three seasons to 41-59-1.

Sawyer will take on the role of head coach of the Grayslake North freshman football team next fall. He hopes to coach baseball again at some point in the future.

“Baseball-wise was the toughest part of the decision,” he said. “One of my goals was to be a head baseball coach, and I think we were headed in the right direction. We got better every year. I think they’re still going to be really good in the future. We had some high expectations and we’re kind of rolling right now, so that was a tough decision.”

Dundee-Crown (20-12) opens the Class 4A state playoffs next Thursday against DeKalb. Sawyer informed his team of his pending departure last week.

“We had to tell them now,” he said. “I talked it over with (assistant coach) Hank (Faulkner) and the other coaches, and we didn’t want the kids to find out through the grapevine or through somebody else. It’s better than it coming out during the regionals, which would be a giant mess.

“It’s been a good run. The parents and the kids were really supportive here and I appreciate everything they’ve done for me.”