Hartung

BUTLER TWP — Dick Hartung defers to history in putting his latest challenge into perspective.

"Gen. Robert E. Lee was 54 when he led the Army of Northern Virginia into battle against the North in 1861," Hartung said. "I'm 54 now. ... If he can do that, I can coach a couple of basketball teams."

That was Hartung's reaction to being appointed head coach of the Butler County Community College men's and women's basketball teams Monday.

The teams play doubleheaders through most of the season.

"I didn't see this coming," Hartung said. "About a week ago, I suggested that one guy could do both jobs. They just had to go out and find that guy.

"I had no intention of doing this. The president of the university (Nicholas Neupauer) called me up and told me what he wanted to do. He's my boss and he said I was the guy.

"There was no interview process. I never applied. I was summoned. And that's fine. It does feel good knowing you're the guy they want," he added.

A full-time assistant professor in the humanities and social sciences division at BC3, Hartung succeeds Fred Skrocki, who won four games in three years, as coach of the men's team. He succeeds Sean Carroll as coach of the women's squad.

Carroll started the women's basketball program at BC3 eight years ago and has been its only head coach. After three successive winning seasons, the Pioneers have struggled the past two campaigns.

Hartung was the men's coach at BC3 from 1985 to 2001 and from 2006-07. His 18-year record was 275-125 with three Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference championships.

And while General Lee lost, Hartung doesn't plan to start losing now.

"The school year's begun, so there will be no outside recruiting," he said. "Whatever talent we have on campus right now is what we'll go with.

"I've been making phone calls and talking to potential players for both teams on campus," he added. "There's enough talent in this school right now to make us at least be competitive."

Hartung served as an assistant boys basketball coach at Butler High from 2002-05. He also is a PIAA basketball official.

While he has run a girls basketball camp, his only experience coaching females was one year with the Butler seventh-grade team.

Practice times might be different for both Pioneers teams. Hartung said many of the female athletes at BC3 also have part-time jobs while most of the males don't.

"If the girls can only practice at 6:30 a.m. and the guys practice at night, whatever the combination, that's what we'll do," he said. "I'll adjust to their schedules."

Hartung plans to hire an assistant coach for each team later this week.

Both teams begin regular season play in early November.