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Van T. Vanatta is the new varsity football coach of Hazelwood Central High School. The HSD Board of Education approved his hiring at a board meeting.


The Hazelwood School District Board of Education has approved the hiring of Van T. Vanatta as the varsity football coach of Hazelwood Central High School.
Vanatta has been with the district since August 2007 as a physical education and health teacher, assistant football coach and varsity baseball coach. As an assistant coach, he served as the defensive coordinator for the Hawks, helping lead the team to three consecutive bids at the state championship. The Hawks won the state title in 2008 and 2009, and were runners-up in 2010. In his role as baseball coach, the team earned first place in the Suburban North Conference and first place in District 6 in 2010. He was named baseball’s Suburban North Conference Coach of the Year in 2010.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity. It’s a new thing for me, even though I coached defense for a long time. I’m looking forward to a new challenge,” said Vanatta.
“I expect to carry on tradition and to compete in every game, and I want to give our kids a chance to be successful,” he continued.
John Pukala, activities director at Hazelwood Central, said “staying inside of our staff to hire a new coach gives us the opportunity to continue with the traditions of the past 50 years.”
“Van has done a fantastic job as the baseball coach and was extremely valuable as a defensive coordinator for football for the past three years,” Pukala said.
Prior to working for HSD, Vanatta was the head baseball coach and an assistant football coach at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo. He served in similar capacities at the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. He is a member of the National Education Association, Parent Teacher Student Association and the American Football Coaches Association. He is a church volunteer and parent volunteer with Cub Scouts.
Vanatta has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health and a master’s degree in education foundations from Central Methodist University.
He is replacing former coach Rich Nixon, who resigned in January.

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