La Grange Head Coaching Search: What Comes Next

How many people will be vying to be the next head football coach/athletic director at La Grange?

A lot – if Wednesday was any indication.

When reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, La Grange superintendent Andy McHazlett said he’d had five people apply for the position in the last hour – and the vacancy was just posted statewide Wednesday morning.

“It’s a good job and we’re going to be picky,” McHazlett said. “We’re not looking for someone to come in and reinvent the wheel. We want someone to come in and build on what Coach Kates has done.”

He added that he ultimately expects between 70-90 applicants from now until the Feb. 8 deadline.

“It depends on the pool of applicants we get, but we will probably shoot for about 10 to bring in to interview and then narrow that down to three for a second round of interviews before we present a finalist to the school board,” McHazlett said.

He said a committee to narrow down/interview applicants will be composed of staff members, and students and parents representing both boys and girls sports. McHazlett said the district would prefer hiring someone with previous head coaching experience but that is not a requirement.

McHazlett said he would like to have a new coach hired by mid-March.