The De Soto School District Board of Education filled four head coaching positions with three new hires at its March 21 meeting. None are new to coaching.
The board was unanimous in tapping Brendon Hardy and James Fox to oversee the boys and girls basketball teams, respectively, and Stephen Peck Jr. to lead the boys and girls soccer programs. Hardy, 24, Fox, 34, and Peck, 52, are spread out in age, but all have extensive playing and coaching backgrounds.
Russ Schmidt will return for his second year in double duty as De Soto’s head football coach and activities director. Schmidt said positions for assistant coaches in basketball and soccer are still open.
“I think we have a recipe for success,” Schmidt said of the new coaches. “We’re in a microwave society and there’s no doubt we have struggled athletically, aside from wrestling. (But) as we move forward, if we support and are patient with our coaches, we will build a solid foundation for our kids.”
Hardy’s brother, D.J., was head coach of the Dragon boys basketball team the past two years but recently was hired to be boys head coach at Hillsboro. Brendon was the De Soto boys freshman and JV coach last season. Both Hardys are Farmington graduates and played for the Knights. Brendon went on to play at Missouri Baptist University and contributed to three American Midwest Conference championships. As a senior, he led the Spartans in scoring with 13 points per game and they finished 26-6 and 15-1 in the AMC.
De Soto was 15-39 in two seasons under D.J. There will be family pride on the line next winter when De Soto’s and Hillsboro’s boys clash in the first local meeting of brother head coaches (in basketball) since Jason Brown of Northwest dueled with Zack Brown of Seckman on the girls side 10 years ago.
The De Soto boys are 4-10 against the JCAA large-schools the past two seasons. Hillsboro won the 2023-2024 league title in outgoing head coach Brian Sucharski’s final campaign. Sucharski replaces Chris Schacht as the school’s AD July 1.
Brendon taught in the De Soto alternative program this school year, but will teach math at the junior high next year.
“Initially, what brought me to De Soto was wanting to work for my brother,” Brendon said. “After spending a year here, (I can see) it’s a tight-knit community that supports its athletes. When my brother said he was going to Hillsboro, I applied for this and I got it.
“I’ve experienced a lot and seen a lot of different things in basketball. I want to bring it to
De Soto. The guys are receptive for everything. We’re already on track to be the team we want to be. I set a high standard. When it comes to Hillsboro, they have good players coming back and so do we. I think it will be a good game just like last year.”
Brendon said he likes his team to get out in the lanes and play up-tempo.
“Play fast, but play smart,” he said. “I like running our sets out of a base offense. (Take) quick actions to get a good shot. I’m about defensive rotations and efficiency. I’m a man (-to-man) guy; that’s what my head coach in college did.”
Schmidt acknowledged Hardy’s relative youth but emphasized he’ll get as much support as possible.
“He understands the game and we’re looking forward to having him,” Schmidt said. “He’s already in open-gym mode and attendance has been good.”
Sam Rauls coached the De Soto girls for nine seasons, but didn’t finish this past campaign because of what Schmidt called a “personnel matter.” Fox has been an assistant or head coach for 13 years, starting at Meadow Heights and then migrating to Lesterville, Clearwater and, most recently, his alma mater, Ellington. He assisted D. J. Hardy the past two seasons.
A graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Fox teaches De Soto students serving in-school suspension as well as an Options course for at-risk students. He also kept statistics for the Dragon football team.
“His organizational skills are off the chart,” Schmidt said. “He was very meticulous. As a basketball coach, I thought he did a good job. He coached the last five (varsity girls) games and the district game when (Rauls) left.”
Fox said during his year coaching the girls at Clearwater, he enjoyed the players’ passion and love for the game.
“And having a daughter of my own fueled my passion,” he said. “I want her to be a part of that atmosphere growing up. Being at De Soto, you can see the direction the athletics are going.
“In girls basketball, I think I can make a big impact for the district and the county. Coach Hardy and I have the same philosophy and will help the district reach our goals.”
The name Stephen Peck Jr. probably rings some bells for you older readers. He started the men’s soccer program at Jefferson College in 2004 and two years later led the team to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I championship, the only national title the school has won in any sport. He coached the Vikings until 2009. He’s also coached collegiately at Culver-Stockton University (Mo.), Jackson State University (Miss.), Oakland City University (Ind.) and most recently at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Fla., where he launched the team four years ago and led them to their best record yet last season at 9-6-2.
Peck taught at-risk students in the Ferguson-Florissant School District and has a master’s degree from Missouri Baptist. He needs to become certified to teach math in Missouri, and plans to teach algebra at De Soto.
“On my journey, I knew coaching college, I had to be flexible and had to take jobs where they’re at,” Peck said. “I’m at the point where I want to get back to the St. Louis area. I went through the same interview process as everyone else. My daughter is starting high school in the fall.
“When you take over a college program, you have to find out where they’re at and where they need to be to be competitive, so until I’m ‘boots-on-the-ground’ (at De Soto) and can see what I’m working with, I’ll look at their (physical) ability to play midfield, forward and goalkeeper and I’ll share that with their parents so they know what I’m assessing them on.”
Schmidt said Peck’s interview was conducted via Zoom, but told him all he needed to know.
“First, he interviewed as a math teacher, then I interviewed him as a soccer hire,” Schmidt said. “He’s going to be a culture-changer and I am excited where we’re headed as a district. He’s going to be a big part of that.”
Now that Proposition 4 Dragons overwhelmingly passed (62.4 percent to 37.5 percent) this month, the $19 million bond issue will help all students in the district, not least the athletes. Talks are ongoing about millions of dollars in upgrades to the athletic facilities, one of Schmidt’s top priorities.
New faces and (future) new spaces spell excitement ahead for the Dragons and their fans.