So, I actually poked around trying to figure out the football coaching scene in Illinois a while back. Wasn’t for me, personally, but my nephew, fresh off his college playing days, got the itch. Thought he’d walk right into a high school gig. I decided to help him navigate it, see what was what.
First thing we did, naturally, was hit the internet. Scoured all those job boards, you know, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) site, specific school district pages, places like that. You see listings, sure. Assistant coach here, freshman coach there. Seemed straightforward enough.
But here’s the thing… applying online felt like shouting into the wind. Sent out resumes, cover letters, the whole package. Heard back from maybe two out of twenty? Mostly crickets. It was frustrating, especially for the kid, who thought his playing experience was the golden ticket.
Getting boots on the ground
That’s when I told him, “Look, we gotta do this old school.” Started digging around for coaching clinics. Found a couple, paid the fee, and went. Just to be there, you know? Shake some hands, listen to the coaches talk. See who’s who.
We also just started showing up to local high school games. Not just the big Friday night ones, but the sophomore games, freshman games. Hung around afterwards, tried to catch a quick word with the coaches. Nothing pushy, just, “Hey coach, good game, my nephew here played college ball, looking to get into coaching.”
- It was slow going.
- Lots of polite nods, “send us a resume” (which we already did).
- Felt like you needed an ‘in’.
Learned pretty fast that a lot of these spots, especially paid assistant jobs at decent programs, often go to guys already in the building – teachers, staff – or someone with a connection. That nephew of the Athletic Director? Yeah, that happens.
What we found consistently open were volunteer roles. Almost every program seemed willing to take on an extra set of hands if you weren’t asking for pay. That’s how my nephew finally got his foot in the door. Volunteered for a whole season, busting his hump. Doing grunt work, breaking down film, setting up drills. Proving he was serious and reliable.
The next year, a paid spot opened up on the freshman staff, and because they knew him, knew his work ethic, he got it. Wasn’t glamorous, but it was a start.
So yeah, finding those football coaching jobs in Illinois? They’re out there. But don’t just rely on online postings. You gotta network. Show up. Be willing to start at the bottom, maybe even for free. It’s about paying your dues and making those connections. That seemed to be the real key, at least from what I saw helping the kid out.
