Coaches

Dick Haselton

Year Inducted: 1985

Category: Coaches

Schools / Organizations: Rockford East High School
Byron High School
Geneseo High School
Rock Falls High School

Biography: Dick Haselton ended the 7th stop of his coaching career in 1973 at Rockford East High School. Haselton spent four seasons at Byron High School, five at Geneseo High School, three at Rock Falls High School, one at Normal University High, two at York High School of Elmhurst, three at (Skokie) Niles East High School before settling in for 10 seasons at Rockford East. Haselton’s overall coaching record is 379 and 290. At Byron, Haselton’s record was 95-10 and included two regional championships. The 1947 team was 26-1. At Rock Falls, Haselton took his 1958 team into the state championship game. Haselton’s club led by Kenny Siebel’s 20 points and Paul Gallentine’s 16 lost to Chicago Marshall and sophomore center George Wilson 70-64 after leading 53-52 starting the final quarter at Huff gym. Haselton and the Rockets had to overcome the state tourney record 49 points by Danville Schlarman’s Jerry Kummerle in a 101-76 first-round encounter. Haselton feels he did his best coaching at Rockford East after the boundary lines were changed and Rockford Jefferson opened. Initially, Rockford East did not get one boy from junior high that had played on the basketball team.  He finished his career as the athletic director at Rockford East.  Dick Haselton died at the age of 97 on May 12, 2018.