Former Union head coach Joe Hadachek, center, pictured back in 2014 with players Kyle Ansley, left, and Wesley Burnside at their signing ceremony at Union Middle School. Coach Hadachek, a native of Dysart, was recently named the next Vinton-Shellsburg head football coach. NORTH TAMA TELEGRAPH FILE PHOTO

VINTON — At the sake of using a baseball metaphor for football, Vinton-Shellsburg made a “home run” hire as the Vikings’ new head football coach.

Former Union High School and Buena Vista University head football Joe Hadachek was formally announced on Friday, Feb. 23 as the Vikings’ next head football coach, replacing longtime head man Jim Womochil who took a position with Cornell College last month.

A Dysart native, Hadachek returned home in 2007 to take over a struggling Union program and took the Knights to 11 straight playoff appearances, including winning the 2011 2A State championship, along with a State runner-up finish in 2016.

He stepped down at the end of the 2018 season but returned to the sidelines this past fall as an assistant at Union.

Hadachek brings a high school career mark of 93-38 to a Viking program that has not won more the six games in a season since 1959, and have only done that three times.

Hadachek went 22-12 in four seasons at Buena Vista (1996-1999).

The hire was announced in a news release from the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Coach Hadachek to Viking Nation as our next head football coach,” V-S Activities Director Jim Struve wrote as part of the release. “Coach Hadachek’s vision and leadership of a football program and his commitment to being a difference maker by mentoring the lives of young men is truly outstanding.”

“We are delighted to welcome Coach Hadachek to our Vinton-Shellsburg family,” V-S High School Principal Matt Kingsbury added. “His proven track record of leadership and dedication to the game of football, combined with his emphasis on character-building and academic success, make him the ideal candidate to lead our football program into the future.”

The news release continued: “Coach Hadachek’s coaching philosophy centers around instilling discipline, teamwork, and a strong work ethic in his players, while also emphasizing the importance of academic achievement and community involvement. His leadership style resonates deeply with the values upheld by the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, making him an excellent fit for the position.”

For his part, Coach Hadachek said, “I am honored and excited to join the Vinton-Shellsburg community as the head football coach. I look forward to working collaboratively with our student-athletes, coaching staff, and the entire school community to build a program that not only achieves success on the field but also helps develop young men of character and integrity.”

Following the announcement, Hadachek hit the ground running by attending the recent Vinton-Shellsburg Freshman Orientation where he was already recruiting.