Post-game interviews following football games are usually fairly quick consisting of questions such as, “Coach, give us your review of how your team did,” and “Did you expect the contest to go the way it did?,” and in the case of a loss, “What problem are you likely to address first as a priority before next week’s game?” There is always a question or two about a player who has had a good game, either for a number of touchdowns or yards run, or number of tackles on the night. Pretty standard stuff regardless of whether the team being covered won or lost. And the coaches have an idea to expect those questions afterward.
When I finished with the “pretty standard stuff” as I did my postgame interview with Normal Community West High interim head coach Duane Thoennes, I had a notion to see how the players and coaching staff were fairing after two weeks since Wildcats head coach Darren Hess was suspended by the school while Illinois High School Association is conducting an investigation.
I will not get into the specifics or circumstances of the investigation here. About the only explanation being doled out is that Hess is being suspended for “violating an administrative directive,” according to WJBC Radio’s website. Not much else has or is being said publicly. And when something does break on the matter, the timing of any announcement most likely will be seen in the local daily paper first. Those are just the facts when you work for the Town weekly.
Since Hess’ suspension, Duane Thoennes, the Wildcats’ assistant coach responsible for supervising the front lines of both the offensive and defensive squads, was appointed interim head coach. With the game staff shuffle, Thoennes said, assistant coaches Marc DeLaere and Jeff Porter are teaming up to handle defensive coordinator’s duties, something Hess regularly handles in addition to being head coach.
Against Danville last week, the coaching staff made changes at halftime, and some more tweaks during the second half, Thoennes explained, “And the kids listened and responded, and reacted really well and did what they were coached to do.”
Thoennes said Hess visited briefly with the team on the Wednesday before the Danville game, adding the players were not and have not been told much about the circumstances surrounding their head coach’s suspension. Thoennes added Hess is allowed to come to games and sit in the bleachers, as would any fan, during this time.
As for the coaching staff, “We have no comment as far as to the details of the situation go,” Thoennes said. “As a coaching staff, we’re fairly tight, and we fill in where we can. Our focus is on the kids. I mean, it can’t be on Coach Hess. He needs to deal with what he needs to deal with. The staff is on the same page. We’re here for the kids. We’re going to focus on them to get them through the season.”
As I left Thoennes and headed off the field to catch Danville head coach B. J. Luke to get his postgame comments in their locker room, I spotted Hess on the tarp just off the entryway to the field. The notion of doing a quick interview with Hess crossed my mind as I saw a few players also spotted him and gave him either a high-five or a quick celebratory hug.
As I went to where Hess was, I mentally gave myself some quick rules for this potential conversation: 1) Don’t ask anything about IHSA’s investigation; 2) Ask how the period off the field has been for him; 3) Check to see if he has ever been in a situation where all he was allowed to do was watch, not coach. His suspension began with West’s road game at Grayslake North on Sept. 19 and continues.
“This period has been difficult because I want to be out there for my guys,” Hess said. “It’s been very humbling, but a very difficult couple of weeks. I’ve been coaching for 23 years and the last two weeks have been very difficult.”
Danville head coach B. J. Luke, said the way the Wildcats played against his team with Hess absent “seemed to be the same to me,” regardless of who was in charge on the sidelines. Considering the 48-28 Wildcats victory, West’s fans probably felt the same way.
On another subject, I attended a reunion of my graduating class from University High School last Saturday. It has been 35 years since we were let loose to make our way in the world complete with diplomas. There were about 25 of us and some brought significant others to the event. We had a wonderful time and will probably get together for the 40th year reunion (as soon as we can find someone as brave as Kris Albert-Burke, who did a wonderful job in a short amount of time in putting this milestone reunion together).