Former New Trier coach Herrala ‘disappointed’
He’s unhappy about how his time with the school ended
For nearly 30 years, Tom Herrala was a New Trier High School fixture, coaching a powerhouse boys lacrosse program to 12 state championships either as an assistant or head coach.
But that affiliation came to a close over the summer, following a season when he was not on the sidelines, after an alleged hazing incident last spring by the players put the team on probation by the school.
In July, Pioneer Press reported Herrala would not be returning for the 2023 season. In an interview, Herrala describes himself as “disappointed.”
“There has been anger, there have been multiple emotions over the past few months. Disbelief early, anger for sure at some point,” Herrala said. “I’m disappointed in the process.”
Herrala, who started coaching at New Trier as an assistant in 1996 until his promotion to head coach in 2009, described the situation when he first learned of the alleged hazing incident at an off campus party.
“Of course I had no knowledge or involvement, this happened on a Saturday night,” he said.
The incident was captured on video and became shared among the community. Herrala said he got an email from a community member alerting him of the situation but didn’t see the video until about 10 days later.
“When I saw that video, my first initial reaction was what the hell is going on here?” Herrala said. “This is horrible and a lot worse that what was explained to me.”
After the video became public, Herrala said there were meetings with parents, players and the New Trier administration including athletic director Augie Fontanetta to address the situation.
Herrala maintains he warned his players at practices about hazing, telling them, “Don’t ruin a season by making stupid decisions including hazing.”
No one was ever charged by police in connection with the alleged incident.
On March 31, school officials sent out a letter informing the community that the lacrosse team would be placed on probation for the 2022 and 2023 seasons among other disciplinary measures.
Shortly after that letter was released, Herrala said he had more meetings with school officials and was told he was being placed on paid administrative leave.
“That came out of left field for sure,” he said.
Herrala said he stayed away from the team throughout the season as the Trevians were coached by assistants, but he did hope he could return in 2023.
Instead, his New Trier tenure came to an end in June following what he described as a very brief meeting with school officials, where he expresses some disenchantment regarding the quick exchange, adding there was no explanation for the school’s decision.
The meeting, according to Herrala, lasted only minutes.
Herrala was not a fulltime employee of the school, instead working specifically as a coach.
New Trier spokeswoman Niki Dizon said the school does not comment on personnel issues.
“Coaching assignments are assessed after each season and coaching decisions are made prior to the following season,” she wrote.
She added coaches are informed about the school’s anti-hazing policy and the corresponding expectation those policies are shared with their teams.
Moving forward, Dizon wrote in a subsequent email that the school is very close to naming its new full time coach.
Herrala — who is still coaching the Junior Trevians, a team affiliated with the Wilmette Park District — maintained he holds fond memories of his time at New Trier.
“I enjoyed the players I coached and the relationships I built, many of which are still active,” Herrala said. “I was just disappointed with the way it ended.”