Patch Looks Back: Glory Days with Coach Fred Dickman

Contrary to public opinion, Deerfield boys golf coach Fred Dickman has not spent every waking second at .

He was not born in Deerfield nor Highland Park. His birthplace is Brooklyn, New York. By third grade, he and his family moved to New Jersey.

Basketball took him to the Midwest where he played hoops at Bradley University in Peoria.

He spent nearly two years in the service during the Korean War.

"I got hurt playing basketball and missed my exams,'' Dickman said. "The next thing I knew I was drafted."

Three years of his life were spent coaching basketball and baseball at Morton High School. Then he spent a year as the head freshman basketball coach and asst. varsity coach at Memphis State University.

He officially landed at District 113 in 1960.

Of course he has run into several folks who sing his praises.

"I think everyone has had a person enter into their life that has made an impression or showed a caring kindness and that's Fred Dickman,'' said Deerfield resident Gary Ballenger.

Of course all three of Ballenger's children played a sport under Dickman.

"My three adult children still to this day kindly shout out "Freddie" whenever we talk about our own "glory days" with him,'' Ballenger said. "He truly is a remarkable caring human being."

Dan India recalls the first time he met Dickman during his son Vince's tryout for the golf team as a freshman.

Vince India recently turned professional and got his start at Deerfield. Naturally young India had a good tryout.

"Fred announced that my kid is on the varsity team and turned to me and said, 'Mr. India where did he practice and get his athletic skills?'
I replied it was the Deerfield Pegasus U13 soccer team. Fred said, 'Anymore like him on that team that want to play golf for us?'"

Dickman wouldn't settle for coaching one team a year. In 1960, he took on three jobs at Highland Park: sophomore baseball coach, varsity basketball coach and assistant football coach.

"I didn't get paid for those jobs back then,'' Dickman said.

To support his coaching habit, Dickman taught physical education and driver's education as well.

He still needed to do more to help out his growing family. So he took on the intramural job at the Great Lakes Naval Station. That worked out well as the team won a pair of regionals and headed to Hawaii.

And golf? When did golf come to Dickman's life? After all, he was always baseball, football, and basketball.

"My brother Richie wanted to start playing,'' he said. "I thought you have to be nuts to chase a ball around all day long."

That was before his handicap dropped radically. And before he was an assistant pro at Northmoor.

There doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day for all these jobs, but here goes.

At Deerfield he held both boys and girls basketball varsity teams and both sophomore and freshman. Also boys varsity golf. That program has produced a number of talented players.

"I took the girls sophomore softball job and boys diving coach as a favor,'' he said.

You might think his ego would increase as he seemingly coached every sport in the school.

"I told my kids that it was Deerfield sports, not my team,'' he said. "I was just one of the spokes in the wheel."

He's certainly crossed paths with Highland Park golf coach Paul Harris.

"Fred's passion for golf and coaching has clearly stood the test of time,'' Harris said.

Highland Park also has a longtime coach in Chuck Schramm.

"Fred has been in everything in the district,'' Schramm said. "He's the longest serving coach in the district."

Dickman's endless resume also includes stints as athletic director and assistant athletic director at Deerfield. He was also a teacher traffic safety department chair.

"I never asked for one job,'' he said.