BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — The head football coaching baton has been passed to Belvidere High School. Sean Donnelly has been named the Bucs' new head coach.
Donnelly replaces Tony Ambrosio. Ambrogio resigned in February after his wife took a job out of state. Donnelly has been an assistant coach for Belvidere's football team for three years, two years under Ambrogio and one year under former head coach Chuck Leonard. Last year, Donnelly coached receivers and special teams.
Donnelly is also the wrestling coach at Belvidere High School and a teacher at Belvidere High School. He previously served as the head coach of Kirkland-Hiawatha's football team, which he led from 2007 to 2016. Donnelly is from Rosemont. He attended East Leyden High School.
Belvidere won just one game last fall. The Bucks haven't had a winning season in football since 2015.
Donnelly was on Belvidere's coaching staff, so he knows the challenges facing the football program, but told me he's confident the Bucs can bounce back.
“I see the kids in the building and in the program want to win. They want to put in the work and effort to turn this program around and that becomes a badge of honor and here We want to be able to say that we're part of the rebuilding of the back football community. The community supports us very much and we want to see this. To be honest, we communities deserve and need it.”
So what style should the Bucs play at Belvidere to increase their chances of success?
“We need to get some toughness back,” Donnelly said. “I think we lacked a little bit of toughness. We're going to work hard and play a four-quarter-plus type of team. Depending on the type of kids we have and the type of community we have, they I think they respect the tough, stubborn team that I envision.”
Belvidere Athletic Director Josh Stanquist said in a press release that more than 20 candidates are interested in the head coaching position. Sternquist said Donnelly is a “perfect fit” for the Belvidere style.
