Coaching change for Duds; catching up with Sammi Hill
Kaneland's Dave Dudzinski seems like a cool cucumber, not prone to make impulsive decisions, a bright yet easygoing young man with a positive perspective.
After all, reached at home Tuesday night after he'd hit a double in Kaneland's 23-9 baseball loss to Geneva, he commented that the game "was closer than it sounds."
So it makes sense that Dudzinski, a 6-foot-9 center who was honorary captain of the Daily Herald 2010 Tri-Cities All-Area Boys Basketball Team, is not rushing to judgment after the Holy Cross Crusaders fired basketball coach Sean Kearney on March 30. Dudzinski committed to the Patriot League entry in Massachusetts before his senior year.
"I guess right now I'm just sitting tight," said Dudzinski, one of three incoming freshmen listed on Holy Cross' 2010-11 roster.
"There's really not anything I can do right now except wait for a new coach to get hired or wait for somebody to call me," he said. "I'm just still sitting tight, but for now I'm still going to Holy Cross."
Kearney, a former Notre Dame assistant, oversaw a 9-22 record this past season, the most losses in Holy Cross history. He followed a tough act. The coach Kearney succeeded, George Willard, was 192-117 in 10 seasons and was named Patriot League coach of the year three times. Not only that, he was a Holy Cross alum.
Dudzinski said he didn't speak much with Kearney during the season, understandably, but had since spoken with him and exchanged text messages.
"He just wanted me to have a good senior year. But after the season was over we had a few good talks and he had every inclination he was going to be there next year, so it surprised me," said Dudzinski, who averaged 18.4 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.8 blocks this season, his third All-Area campaign.
Assistant coach Sean Ryan was the point man on Dudzinski's recruitment to Holy Cross - Austin Peay, Loyola and Lafayette were other contenders - and Ryan called the day of Kearney's dismissal. Ryan has been keeping Dudzinski and the other incoming freshmen "in the loop."
Dudzinski is great academically, another reason he chose Holy Cross. He signed his letter of intent "not to a coach, but to a school," he said.
Undoubtedly academics were part of the conversation he had with parents Dave and Barb.
"They're supportive of me in whatever I do, but one way or another if the worst I can do is stick it out at Holy Cross, that's not too bad," said Dave Jr.
"It's sort of a new perspective on recruiting a little bit," he said. "It's not as bad of a situation as you would think. I'm not going to make a decision off scrambling or anything."
Meanwhile, in Iowa City...The Iowa Hawkeyes also changed men's basketball coaches, selecting Siena's Fran McCaffery on March 28 to replace Todd Lickliter. This affects St. Charles North graduate Nick Neari, a preferred walk-on who saw action in 7 games this past season as a freshman. (High-profile Schaumburg graduate Cully Payne was also a Hawkeye freshman, and a starter.)We reached Neari, but he preferred to save his comments for after he actually had a chance to sit down and speak with the new coach, a logical choice.An early spring flurryA 60-degree day in Florida this winter and spring was a rarity, several local snowbirds reported. So what better way to enjoy a break than in sunny Rock Island, Ill.Local football players beat a path to Augustana's campus, based on the blast of e-mails emanating from there announcing commit after commit to the Vikings' program.News about Kaneland two-way lineman Eric Dratnol enlisting arrived March 30.It came down full-bore Monday afternoon - Wheaton North linebacker Ryan Coleman, Benet defensive back-receiver T.J. Milano, York linebacker Erik Westerberg, Aurora Christian tight end-linebacker Dylan Smith - just as quickly as Augie assistant athletic director Dave Wrath could write press releases.$CLASS=breakhead$Catching up with: Sammi HillThis spring is indeed a fresh beginning for Geneva senior Sammi Hill. She's a four-time school record holder in track and field - in triple jump at 36 feet, 33/4 inches last year at the Streamwood sectional, and as part of a 2008 downstate 800-meter relay, last year's fourth-place 1,600 relay and a 400 relay in a simple Tuesday meet. But she isn't running track this year. Unlike older sister Danielle, a four-year Vikings varsity soccer player who's a junior at Truman State University, Sammi is a year-round club soccer player who went out for Geneva's team this season for the first time since her freshman year. It's preparation to continue her soccer career at Northern Illinois University. A scholarship athlete, she'll reside in the same athletic dormitory as Geneva classmates Frank Boenzi (football) and Lauren Wicinski (volleyball). Her college roommate, however, will be Neuqua Valley soccer player Courtney Ksiazek.Q: When did "Samantha" become "Sammi"?A: Sometime in elementary school, I want to say. Q: Was the nickname your choice?A: Yeah, I guess it was my choice. And I guess that's why it's spelled so funny - two M's, one I.Q: Why did you decide on Northern Illinois? A: It actually was pretty easy. They actually were the very first school that gave me an offer last year, January (2009) I want to say. I had that on the table a really long time, while I was still bouncing around, school to school, to see what they had to offer. I really just wanted the total package - one that had a good athletic program and good academics as well.Q: What direction are you thinking academically?A: "Business" would be really broad, but I think it would really be a good kick-start to a lot of different things. But I would really like to be a journalist for a magazine. That would be my goal, but I'd still like exploring my options and stuff.Q: What are your favorite magazines?A: That's tough. I'd have to go with either Spin or Rolling Stone. I'm a music girl.Q: I'm a music man, so that opens up a whole line of questioning. Like, why is Abba in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?A: I couldn't tell you that. I would categorize them as pop. I couldn't support them being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.Q: What's a newer band that you like?A: I just heard of a new band a couple months ago called the xx (Pitchfork's No. 3 album of 2009, we discover). They're not too rocking, they're laid back, like cafe chill music. That's what I would describe it as. I still listen to a lot of Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix. I have a lot of Led Zeppelin, too. I have Boston, from my dad (Steve).Q: He's obviously a man of great taste. Sammi, what did you learn from competing in track and field?A: It teaches me how to control my nerves, I guess you could say. It really gets me in great shape and keeps up my speed. I think I've never been more nervous in my life than at the state track meet. I like to compare that to the times I'm standing in front of my class, making a presentation. Q: We always ask this of the soccer players - what's your favorite move with the ball?A: I don't ever do it really, but I would say the Garrincha (unconfirmed as technique title, Garrincha was the nickname of legendary Brazil player Manuel Francisco dos Santos). I don't really know how to say it, but you tap the top of the ball with one foot and you do a 180 with it. You switch feet and you pull it around your body. It's hard to explain, but if you can do it really fast and get a good touch on top of the ball you can blow everybody out of the water.Q: What's one way your parents have supported you?A: They've paid for all my expenses, that's one thing. Club soccer (Sammi's with Strikers Fox Valley) is not a cheap thing to do. They just help me be persistent. They weren't nagging in any way. My dad was the one who helped me train in the offseason. Mom (Debra) and dad recently told me this year they'd be proud of me no matter which sport I chose, whether it's soccer or track.Q: Tell us an interesting fact about Sammi Hill.A: I guess that I'm kind of a photographer. I'm in a photo class right now. I've learned how to develop my own film and my own pictures. I really enjoy taking pictures. I've always been interested in photos, but it's always been digital. But at the beginning of the semester I took Photo I, and in that we do all the manual stuff. I hope Northern has a darkroom.Q: What's a good lesson a teacher has taught you?A: This might take awhile... I mean, all my teachers have been really great. I think my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Lewis from Harrison (Street Elementary School), she taught our whole class to be proud of who you are and don't worry about people who are dragging you down. She was really cool.