Granite City chooses one of its own to lead Warriors football program
A former three-sport athlete at Granite City High School, Jake Janek, 36, was officially hired as the Warrior’s new head football coach during a District 9 board meeting Tuesday.
The 2002 Granite City graduate replaces Orlando Gooden, who was not rehired after leading the Warriors to a 3-6 season a year ago.
Janek becomes the Warriors fourth head coach in the last four years. Carl Luehmann, the Warriors coach for nine years, resigned following the 2017 season and was followed by Brad Hasquin, who led Granite City to a 5-5 record and IHSA playoff bid in his only season in 2018.
Janek is familiar with the Warrior’s current crop of student-athletes. A physical education teacher, Janek has also coached wrestling and track and field. He will return to the football field after a four-year hiatus.
“This senior group we have coming back will have their fourth head coach. It’s not an easy thing,’’ Janek said. “But with me being a teacher and also a coach in track and wrestling, at least most of the players know me and what I expect.
“I’m looking forward to this upcoming season and the future. We’re excited to get started here beginning today (Wednesday).’’
Granite City Athletic Director John Moad said he received 10 applications for the job. Several had good football resumes, but Janek’s familiarity with the student-athletes was a key factors in his hiring, Moad said.
“We feel Jake is excellent choice. He’s got a great football background, having started out at the University of Illinois then moving on to McKendree. He’s in house right now as a PE teacher and we feel its very important to have somebody who is in house right now,’’ Moad said. “We had a number of outstanding applicants and we are amazed at the number of quality coaches and people who showed interest in working here at Granite City High School.
“We just felt that having a familiar face leading our program right now was important in keeping the kids we have interested and building towards our future.’’
Janek said he will begin to assemble a coaching staff in the next few days and that he hopes to get his brother, former world-class powerlifter Chris Janek, involved in the Warriors’ weightlifting and conditioning programs.
His main task is keeping interest and increasing numbers in the Warriors program, Janek said. Granite City had between 30-40 athletes in the program at the conclusion of the 2019 season.
“I can’t imagine that. For a school this size,’’ Janek said. “I want to get people (coaches) involved in this program who are enthusiastic and can help generate interest. Coaches who take an interest in the kids and want to help them and see them excel both in the classroom and on the football field.
“We have some talented kids coming back next season and some great athletes in this school. I will be working with my staff to get these athletes to come out for football. I want to work with our coaches in the different programs who have kids that are playing in the fifth and sixth grades that want to be playing when they are juniors and seniors.’’
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 11:48 AM.
