Seattle Prep gets Bellevue coach

Bill Heglar is resigning as head football coach at Bellevue High School to become head coach at Seattle Prep.

"I'm Catholic and this gives me an opportunity to combine all aspects of my life and profession," said Heglar, 56, who guided the Wolverines to the KingCo 3A title last fall.

Heglar was 31-16 in five years at Bellevue and won or shared three league titles. Bellevue was 9-2 last season, losing in double overtime to heavily favored Ferndale in the state quarterfinals.

One of the appeals of the Seattle Prep job is financial. As an educator with more than 30 years in the public-school system, Heglar will be able to draw his state pension while also receiving a paycheck for coaching and teaching at the Jesuit school.

Heglar replaces Rollie Robbins, another ex-KingCo Conference coach who moved to Seattle Prep after a long career in public schools. Robbins, 66, announced his retirement in January after spending the final 11 seasons of a 43-year coaching career at Seattle Prep, where he was 63-39 but never won the Metro League title. Robbins had spent the previous 16 years at Interlake, where he won six division titles and three league crowns.

Heglar said "it's tough to leave Bellevue," and added, "the parents and kids have been outstanding."

"But the Seattle Prep job doesn't open every year," he said. "If you're going to make a move, you can't wait around."

Heglar said he doesn't know what his teaching assignment will be at Seattle Prep but he has taught social studies, health and physical education.

Heglar grew up in the Palouse town of St. John and played two years of college football at Eastern Washington. He coached at Lacrosse, Rosalia and Newport (outside Spokane) high schools before he moved west of the Cascades to coach at Sumner from 1983-90, Interlake from 1990-95 and Bellevue.

Heglar prefers the wing-T offense and said he expects to throw the ball more at Seattle Prep than he did last season at Bellevue, where the Wolverines averaged more than 350 yards rushing.

Heglar will be head coach of the West team in the East-West all-star game June 30 in Spokane.

Heglar lives in the Tam O'Shanter neighborhood in Bellevue with his wife, Connie. They have two adult children.

The Seattle Prep vacancy drew 16 applicants. Athletic Director Tom Doyle said five were granted interviews.

Heglar said he is eager to be associated with Seattle Prep.

"Prep is one of the best academic schools in the state and that carries over to their athletics," he said.