Jakubowski’s intensity rubs off on his players

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Watching Andy Jakubowski during a baseball game can be entertaining as well as draining.

The Huntley coach never sits down. He rarely stands still, whether it’s in the third-base coaching box or in front of the dugout. It seemed as though Jakubowski might have paced for 2 miles at the IHSA Class 4A Rockford RiverHawks Supersectional, a game the Red Raiders won, 2-1, against Wheaton North.

“I’m an intense individual,” Jakubowski said. “I want each and every one of our players to succeed. I’m doing everything I can to win a game.”

That attitude rubs off on his players, who have one of the loudest dugouts in the state, and also proved to be one of the toughest teams to put away. Jakubowski took the Raiders to fourth place in the Class 4A State Tournament and a share of the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title with Cary-Grove.

For all that success, Jakubowski is the Northwest Herald Baseball Coach of the Year, selected by the sports staff with input from area coaches. Jakubowski is the first Huntley coach to be named Coach of the Year, which first was awarded in 1990.

Marian Central coach Gregg Wikierak also received consideration after taking his team to third place in Class 3A.

Huntley, which was 29-11, was a bigger surprise. The Raiders lost three All-Area first-team players – Tanner Funke, Zach Liebman and Craig Lipp – who gobbled up most of their pitching innings last season, but came back and made it farther than any baseball team in school history.

“I try to point out what the players’ struggles are, but ultimately, you have to do it yourself,” Jakubowski said. “Earlier in my career, I was more fiery and I’d get into players’ faces more. Now, it’s more about instructing and what they have to change.”

Jakubowski previously coached six seasons at Jacobs. After a short stint as assistant at Elgin Community College, he landed the Huntley job five years ago. The Raiders now are regarded with C-G, Prairie Ridge and Grayslake Central as one of the top programs in the FVC.

“I’m most proud of instilling work ethic and paying attention to small details,” Jakubowski said. “[Assistant] coach [Jerry] Modlinski does a great job with the pitching and [assistant] coach [Matt] Sassi does a great job with the hitting.”

Jakubowski’s team feeds off his nervous energy and intensity, but there’s something else that is more important.

“He’s a great teacher, he really prides himself in that,” catcher Phil Pupillo said. “He’s a great friend to me and he’s taught me so much for when I coach. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had.”

Center fielder-pitcher Chris Klein lauds Jakubowski for the way he prepares his team in the offseason, both with baseball skills and conditioning.

“We knew when we went on the field, it was all business,” Klein said. “We knew when to be serious, but after games we could lighten the mood. He’s getting most of us ready to play for college, because most coaches in college aren’t going to be pushovers.”

Jakubowski has a sheet in the dugout every game with the team’s objectives. He requires intensity and passion. He wants pitchers to throw strikes 60 percent of the time and keep leadoff hitters off base. He wants no more than two errors in a game.

“All those things put us in a position to win games,” Jakubowski said. “I’m very proud of our kids, from 1 through 22. We all came together for a common goal to be better than last year.”

The spirit Jakubowski exudes never was better exhibited than in the Class 4A semifinals, where Huntley lost to powerful Chicago St. Rita, 7-6. The Raiders were outmanned, as St. Rita’s lineup was laden with NCAA Division I prospects, but it didn’t matter. Huntley fought and clawed and nearly kept the Mustangs out of the championship game.

“[Jakubowski] always gives us the opportunity to win baseball games,” Pupillo said. “He’s always into the game, no matter what, and wants to keep helping us. You have to love the guy.”