Sean Van Winkle file
Age: 40
Residence: Hamilton
Family: Wife Amanda, daughter Mia (2)
High school: Ross, Class of 1993
College: Attended Cincinnati, earned real estate license at Hondros
Prep head coaching history: Last five years at Lakota West (71-43 record), five years at Ross (59-48 record)
Sean Van Winkle has decided Hamilton is the place for him.
Van Winkle, Lakota West High School’s boys basketball coach for the past five years, is the new head man at Hamilton after receiving school-board approval Wednesday.
“It’s just an opportunity to build a program in a town you live in and a town you appreciate,” Van Winkle said. “I firmly believe this can and will be the best job in the (Greater Miami Conference).
“The opportunity I had at Lakota West was truly something I’ll never forget. I was very blessed and lucky to get that opportunity, and we built a good program in a lot of ways. The Hamilton job is just something I couldn’t pass up.”
The Firebirds were among the GMC’s top programs during his time in West Chester Twp., going 71-43. HHS, meanwhile, went 37-94 the last six seasons under Tim Robinson, who subsequently resigned.
Van Winkle, 40, lives in Hamilton. He works as a certified real estate agent with Coldwell Banker and co-owns Husker Cat LLC, a property investment company, with former Big Blue star Chris Kingsbury.
“Everybody knows my ties and background with people who played in Hamilton,” Van Winkle said. “Quite honestly, I don’t really care about what happened in the program in the past. I’m worried about what’s happening from today on. The foundation is there, and I believe the energy that myself and my staff put into that foundation will get it going.
“Hamilton’s got passionate fans that appreciate and understand what basketball is all about. That can go both ways — I understand that. You also have a student section, the Dawg Pound, that is very supportive of their school.
“We’ve had a great deal of success at West, and a person might ask, why are you going to Hamilton? That person doesn’t understand Hamilton and doesn’t understand the vision I have for the program. The last team in the GMC to win a state championship is Hamilton.”
Van Winkle hasn’t finalized a coaching staff but said hiring will be done from the seventh grade through the varsity level.
“I’m going to put together a staff that understands it’s a kids-first program,” Van Winkle said. “They’re going to be loyal to Hamilton High in all aspects. Hard work is something, 7 through 12, they’re going to have to understand real quick.”
HHS athletic director Todd Grimm loves Van Winkle’s grassroots approach to building a program, noting that his GMC experience is also a big plus.
Grimm, who’s been on the job less than a year, said Van Winkle’s hiring is another example of his desire to improve Big Blue’s across-the-board competitiveness in the conference.
“We are going to work tirelessly to improve our standing in the GMC,” Grimm said. “In my opinion, it is not acceptable for Hamilton to be at the bottom of the GMC. We feel that we’ve got great kids in Hamilton. We just need to ensure that our coaches are doing everything in their power to give our student-athletes the best opportunities possible.”
West athletic director Scott Kaufman admitted he was “caught off guard” by Van Winkle’s desire to leave for Hamilton, “but at the end of the day, Sean’s got to do what’s best for his family. We wish him the best.”
Kaufman said the West job will be posted for two weeks starting today. Among the basketball coaches he’s hired as an AD: Bill Brewer and Jill Phillips at Princeton, and Matt Rooks at Wyoming.
“I think Lakota West is one of the premier basketball jobs in the state,” Kaufman said. “As a result, I think we will have a great deal of interest.”
Dodd new Blue volleyball coach: Van Winkle wasn't Hamilton's only head coaching hire Wednesday. Madison Dodd was approved as the new leader of the Big Blue girls volleyball program.
Dodd, 21, is about to graduate from Miami University with a degree in integrated language arts.
A four-year player for Carolyn Condit at MU, Dodd is a coach for the Kaepa Borderline Junior Volleyball Club.
“It’s been a beautiful ride,” Dodd said of her time in Oxford. “I’ve loved the sport, I’ve loved the competitivenss, and I’ve learned so much from the coach at Miami. I feel like I’m ready to take over a program of my own.
“I am so passionate about everything that I do in my life, whether it’s teaching or coaching. I love what I do, and I bring that energy every day. I think that’s really important when you’re working with kids.”
She is replacing Dwayne Stacy at the Hamilton helm. Stacy is still Big Blue’s boys volleyball coach.
The HHS girls failed to win a GMC match and were 4-19 in 2013.
“I’ve played since sixth grade and I’ve played every position, so I know it all,” said Dodd, a native of Waterloo, Ill. “This is definitely a tough challenge, but I’m ready. I think we’ll be on the rise this season, and I’m excited for it all.”
Dodd will teach language arts at Hamilton. She’s having a meeting for players, parents and fans today at 6:30 p.m. in the HHS cafeteria.
“I truly feel we had two great hires today,” Grimm said. “Madison was a captain for two years at Miami, and I think her career speaks volumes. She is a great young lady who brings a lot of confidence and a good vision.”
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