L-W Central Baseball Coach Sean Bieterman Makes Difficult Decision to Move On

Sean Bieterman, the coach who held his baseball team together following the untimely death of its most popular players, is leaving Lincoln-Way Central High School.

Bieterman, who coached and taught at Lincoln-Way Central for three school years, has accepted a position as athletic director, dean of students and baseball coach at Aurora Central Catholic. He will finish coaching the Knights through the Illinois Baseball Coaches Association summer state playoffs.

Then, he will dig in at ACC.

“Lincoln-Way Central gave me an opportunity when Driscoll closed,” Bieterman said. “I was blessed to work with great people and a great administration. Dr. Wyllie, Steve Provis, Hud Venerable—I can’t say enough about those three people. I think the world of them. District 210 is a fantastic school district. They put the kids first in every situation.”

Lawrence Wyllie is the district’s superintendent. Provis is the principal at Central. Venerable is the Knights’ athletic director. He also served as mentor to Bieterman, who worked as an assistant athletic director under him for the last two school years.

“I learned so much about the day-to-day job of being an athletic director,” Bietermann said. “Hud Venerable was instrumental in my growth in athletics as well as my growth as a person.”

Bieterman’s coaching leadership skills were put on display following the death of Central baseball pitcher Tommy Schuman on March 31. He died of an undiagnosed cardiac condition. Bieterman worked to counsel the rest of his players and hold his team together through a difficult time.

The Knights split regular-season games with district rival Lincoln-Way East and went on to finish 17-17. On Senior Day, coaches and players presented a framed No. 19 jersey to Schuman’s parents, Dan and Lynn.

“We just had a great group of kids who certainly realized this year there are more important things than the game of baseball,” Bieterman said. “They really banded together following the loss of a terrific person and great teammate, Tommy Schuman.

“It was never about me—how I would deal with the situation. Our focus was clearly on the kids. We worked on a daily basis to make sure they were getting through a rough time together, that they were taking care of each other. That was the most important thing—not the wins and losses.”

In the spring of 2010, Bieterman’s first season coaching the Knights, Lincoln-Way Central won the regional championship, advanced to the sectional semifinals, posted a 25-10 record and ranked 11th in the final state baseball polls.

He lives in Villa Park with his wife, Maggie, and their 5-year-old son, Casey.

“This will be a little closer to home,” Bieterman said of his new job at ACC. “I’m excited to get started and excited about the opportunity to build some new relationships.

“At the same time, this was a very difficult decision. It’s tough to leave Lincoln-Way Central. One thing I can feel good about—the next coach will be taking over a program with great kids and will have an opportunity to have great success on and off the field for the next several years.”

Read More: After Tragic Death, Tommy Schuman Voted Athlete of the Year