Woodstock North’s Jeff Schroeder leaves program he built from the beginning

For the first time since Woodstock North opened in the fall of 2008, someone other than Jeff Schroeder will be the Thunder’s football coach.

Schroeder has resigned as head coach after leading the Thunder for 13 seasons. North is 52-77 in its 13 seasons.

Schoeder cited family health issues as one of his reasons for stepping down. He also felt like, after going 6-17 over the last three seasons, a change might be a good thing.

“You start to feel a little bit like I’m the only coach we’ve ever had and maybe there’s a little bit of shelf life there,” Schroeder said. “Maybe myself and the kids need a change. It’s always been the same. Maybe they would benefit from a little bit from a change, a different voice.

“With things going on with me, I need to recharge my battery. I’m not saying I’m done with coaching period, but I just need time away.”

Schroeder will continue at North as a dean. He took over the program in 2009 when North played its first varsity season, although the Thunder had no senior class in that group, which finished 0-9. North did not have another 0-9 season until this fall.

“I can’t think of any program more identifiable with a coach than North is with Jeff,” District 200 superintendent Mike Moan said. “He literally built the program with his own hands, ordered the first helmets and shoulder pads, jerseys. He built the program in his own image, hard-nosed, hard-working, tough, no quit at all.

“In a community that had great quarterback play for a generation he ran the option and that became the culture and identity at North. While doing it he supported our players on and off the field and was a just as high quality person as he was a coach.”

Remarkably, the Thunder made the playoffs in 2011, the school’s third season, and won the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division title. In 2012, North was Fox Division runner-up and got its lone playoff victory in school history.

“Not too many brand new schools do that,” Schroeder said. “That 2012 team was probably a little more talented, but the conference was tougher so we were runners-up. I’m still proud of that because it wasn’t a flash in the pan. We showed we could do it more than once. From a football side, that’s what I’m most proud of.

“From the human side, just the relationships I’ve built. When I posted on Facebook, I was shocked how many former players and parents reached out. It just makes you feel like it was worth it. It’s something that sits with you for quite a while.”

North made the playoffs five times under Schroeder, had three winning seasons and two 5-5 seasons. After 2012, the Thunder missed the playoffs for three seasons, then returned in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

“Jeff took a program that had no history and no identity and built a winning culture quickly,” Moan said. “Jeff took a program from blueprints to the playoffs playing great competition to get there. His legacy will go beyond the wins and loss and playoff appearances, it is about the players we worked with and the lessons he taught them.

“We have been so lucky to have Jeff work with our athletes and his hard work will continue to pay dividends for years to come.”

The position has been posted and D-200 is accepting applications, but Moan said it may take some time as the district has to see what potential teaching positions it has to go with the coaching job.

Schroeder had worked as an assistant and head coach in 12 seasons before taking the North job. Along with the player relationships, he was grateful to many area coaches who helped him along the way. Former Cary-Grove head coach Bruce Kay, former Crystal Lake Central coach Bill Mack and current Prairie Ridge offensive coordinator Joe Terhaar all helped Schroeder with the finer points of the triple-option. He also picked up advice from former Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter (Schroeder was on his staff) and current Richmond-Burton coach Mike Noll.

“What I learned is don’t be afraid to network and talk to people who are successful,” Schroeder said. “Bruce Kay was a huge help with us. He was really courteous with his time when we were starting out. We tried to emulate some of the things they do (at C-G). I talked a lot with Joe Terhaar from Prairie Ridge. I even sat at the kitchen table with Bill Mack years ago.

“Dean Schlueter from back in the Jacobs’ days was exemplary on how to run a solid offseason weight-training program. Some of the ways I’ve used formations is from competing against Mike Noll and talking with him too. He’s a real stellar influence on some of the things we do.”

Schroeder wants to enjoy watching his twin junior sons, Tommy and Tyler, compete in sports over the next year-and-a-half before they go to college. Eventually, Schroeder expects to come back to coaching in some form.

“I’ll be back,” he said. “I just have to figure some stuff out. I can’t stay away that long.”