Once a Spartan, always a Spartan

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Marian Catholic has built up quite an athletic legacy over the years in a broad range of sports.

The football team has been to the IHSA playoffs 17 times in the past 24 years under veteran coach Dave Mattio, with two trips to the state finals and the 4A championship in 1993.

In recent years, the Spartans have produced state champions in track and won three state trophies in girls basketball.

But Marian hasn't had that kind of success in baseball lately, a situation that Phil Wail aims to change.

Wail, a 1998 Marian grad, was hired last month to replace Joe O'Brien, who resigned after two seasons to take over the start-up program at Plainfield East.

The Spartans were 31-36 overall, 11-25 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference under O'Brien. They haven't been above .500 in league play since 2002 and last won a regional in 1987.

Wail figures part of his job will be to change the perception of his sport on the Chicago Heights campus.

"I think a big thing -- Coach Mattio [maybe] wouldn't like to hear it -- this has always been a football school," Wail said. "And even when I was here, I was known for my football [playing]."

Because of his background in both sports at Marian, Wail believes he is uniquely positioned "to bring that importance to baseball at this school.

"And being from this school and knowing what it's like, I think I'll be able to do that, get the kids to buy in."

Wail spent the past three years as head coach at Woodbine High School in Iowa after a two-season stint at Dana (Neb.) College, where he finished his playing career.

"I was out there for a while," said Wail, who also played at South Suburban College. "I've been moving around for a little bit. Now it's time to come back here. My family's all here."

With the Spartans playing in arguably the state's premier conference, Wail knows he needs to develop plenty of arms. 

"We don't have a lot of hard throwers," he said. "And that's the kind of pitcher I was -- [one who] works the corners, throws the offspeed pitches for strikes. We'll [have] that mentality."

Besides building a pitching staff, Wail also would like to improve the Spartans' facilities. Though the playing surface has been upgraded in recent years, Marian's diamond doesn't have the amenities of many neighboring schools.

Most fans bring their own folding chairs because there is just one set of wooden bleachers, and the field had neither a concession stand nor a press box.

Wail would like to recruit some carpenter friends to remedy that latter issue, just one part of his master plan to put Spartan baseball back on the map.

"It's good to be here," he said.

And he's hoping it'll only get better.