Matthew Dick addressed the Galion High School football team as its new head coach for the first time at the school’s cafetorium Friday afternoon.
“I’m living the dream,” Dick told the team. “I’m excited to be here… to be part of something big is great.”
The new coach said he was impressed with the team, which has made appearances at the playoffs over the last four years under former coach Chris Hawkins’ guidance. Hawkins took a the same job at soon-to-be conference rival Ontario.
As an offensive coordinator at Fredericktown, Dick said he was especially impressed with how Galion played in their scrimmages over previous seasons.
“Coach Hawkins has done a great job,” he said. “I like how Galion kids compete.”
The Galion City School District Board of Education approved the new coach during a special meeting at the Administrative Center Thursday. He is expected to receive the base pay for the position, while the school district looks to complete negotiations with the union in the next two months. But Dick could be looking at a stipend of over $5,500 for the job, Superintendent James Grubbs said.
“He wants to be a head coach,” he said.
Dick is a graduate of Capital University and Ashland University. He has served as Fredricktown’s offensive coordinator for the past six years. Under his leadership of the offense, the Freddies amassed a 50-19 overall record and a playoff record of 9-6. Fredricktown won three league titles and produced many All-Ohioans during his time with the program.
“I am incredibly grateful to Superintendent Grubbs, Mr. Baughn and the Galion City School District Board of Education for this incredible opportunity,” Dick said in a statement. “I am excited to lead one of the most storied football programs in the area and build a program that the students, staff, parents and community can be proud of.”
Prior to Fredricktown, he served as a varsity assistant coach at Madison for four years. He played collegiate football at Capital and earned four varsity letters as a member of the most victorious class in the university’s history.
Dick has worked as a math teacher at Madison Comprehensive since 2006 and is head of the school’s math department since 2014. He lives with his wife Sara Dick, a special education teacher at Mansfield Senior, who accompanied him at the special meeting. The two have three boys, ages 6, 5 and 1.
“I am very excited for the future of the Galion Tigers football program under the direction of our newly appointed head football coach, Matthew Dick,” Grubbs said. “Mr. Dick comes highly recommended from several well-respected coaches and educational leaders in the area, and I’m impressed with the initiative and attention detail he showed in the interview process. He is a man of high moral character and will be a great addition to the Tigers family.”
Athletics Director Kyle Baughn agreed.
“I was incredibly impressed with Coach Dick’s confidence and overall positive attitude during the interview process,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working together with him to continue the strong tradition of Galion Tigers football.”
Dick said the district are working to find him a teaching job at the school as well.
“I plan to be here everyday,” he told the team. The coach outlined his expectations for the upcoming season with some emphasis on the value of being part of a team. Together the team with its new coach will work on improvement in the weight room and on the field for the upcoming season in the fall.
“It’s going to be here before we know it,” he said.
