Indian Hills turns to Schuman by Darren Cooper of The Record
Dave Schuman sees big things ahead for Indian Hills.
“We want to build a program and take it to the next level,” said Schuman, who was named new Indian Hills head football coach Monday night. “It may take some time to get to where we want to go, but we want to do it as fast as we can and our goal is to get guys thinking of Indian Hills as a power in football and getting that mindset of winning state championships.”
Schuman, 43, is hardly a stranger to North Jersey sidelines. This is his third head coaching job. The 43-year old spent 2006 leading his alma mater, Saddle Brook. Then he had a successful six-year stint at Palisades Park/Leonia, taking a program that had stopped playing varsity football for a year because of low numbers to a sectional championship game in 2012.
“The kids were unbelievable,” said Schuman about his time at Pal Park/Leonia. “That was the first time I really saw kids buy into what was going on. They believed in me. The community there was fantastic. We had some great success.”
Indian Hills has never won a sectional championship since New Jersey switched to its current playoff format in 1974. It is one of the more unique districts in New Jersey, as kids in Wyckoff, Oakland and Franklin Lakes have the option of attending Ramapo or Indian Hills.
Ramapo has won 10 sectional championships since 1974 and is regarded as one of the top public school programs in New Jersey.
Schuman believes there are enough kids to go around.
“I like that challenge, that’s how I am,” said Schuman. “I look at it as an asset. I look at Ramapo’s success and I say, ‘wow, there are a lot of great athletes here’ and there are plenty of football players who want help to get where they want to go. If players come to Indian Hills and play for us and see the things I can bring to the program, I think we can have two great programs in the community.”
“Dave understands the challenges that our district brings and is looking forward to meeting them,” said Indian Hills athletic director Lorenzo Baratta. “He is ready to meet all the kids in our area. He has already hit the ground running. I’m very happy with our choice. There will be a new chapter in the Indian Hills book and they get to write it together.”
Schuman owns a business, the incredibly popular National Underclassmen Combine that identifies and scouts football talent across the nation. He will not work at Indian Hills.
He said he is in the process of putting his staff together, although he noted he is hoping to bring former Saddle Brook head football coach Darren White with him in some capacity. Schuman coached under White for a few seasons at Saddle Brook.