Official press release announcing new Lowell FB coach

[warrior]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Casey McKim Catches Lowell Football, Head Coach Position
Lowell Red Devils hire their third leader in 35 years!


LOWELL, Indiana - Coach Casey McKim will lead the Lowell Red Devil football program into the 2025 season after five years and a 48-17 winning record as head coach of New Prairie High School. Being selected by a committee of stakeholders representing a broad cross section of the Lowell community, McKim intends to build upon the community’s proud past and embrace the mantra of Red Devil Pride.
A man of high expectations, Casey McKim possesses incredible football knowledge and laser-light focus as evidenced by winning four consecutive 4A Sectional Championships, two Regional Championships, and two IHSAA Semi-State appearances. In 2022, the success included the IHSAA Class 4A State Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Coach McKim is no stranger to the state championship arena. Prior to his time at New Prairie, McKim served as Offensive Coordinator when Valparaiso High School made their bid for the state championship run in 2019. Coach believes football is a great teacher of life lessons by developing teamwork, integrity, perseverance, dedication, and selflessness. Additionally, football extends beyond the team itself to families, the school, and the community.

In the words of Coach McKim “My dream is to be a head football coach that creates a championship program at the highest level, while developing young men of character who will be great leaders, husbands, and fathers when they leave our program”. In 2021 and 2022, Coach McKim received IFCA Coach Of the Year honors and has been a position coach in 3A, 5A, and 6A schools.

Coach McKims’ message to the entire Lowell community: “I am humbled and honored to be a part of RDP!”

Despite the current challenges due to significant budget reduction, Tri-Creek Schools was able to hire Coach McKim at no additional cost to the district through attrition and restructuring. Coach McKim will transition to his new football role after school hours effective immediately with full-time teaching beginning August 2025.


Ms. Patti McCormack
Athletic Director
Lowell High School

[nwi25]

An embarrassing hire, made by an embarrassment of a committee. Wonder if the committee ever got around to asking Casey why his players would stand at the 50 and Mother F lowell players and staff before a game? Can't wait for that culture to be brought to lowell. Kilmer and Kennedy would be proud. But of course that would mean the committee would have to have had anyone involved or even remotely affiliated with lowell football the last 10 years on it to know that (press box guy doesn't count, hard to hear player interactions from up there). I suppose win at all costs though. Who cares if his best years were with Radtke kids and that pipeline has run dry. Who cares if the corporation cried poor for a referendum, but wait a magical "restructure" and we have money! The agenda was clear and RDP is just a slogan for t shirts. Committee made that abundantly clear.
A guy who left lowell because he was fed up with the corporation and took a job at a different corporation. A principal there for 4 months. Couple staff members who have never touched a football in their life (also not from lowell), a board member elected 3 months ago and a biased football official. Sounds like a group really invested in lowell football and the betterment of the program. Well done committee.

[BallinFreak]

An embarrassing hire, made by an embarrassment of a committee. Wonder if the committee ever got around to asking Casey why his players would stand at the 50 and Mother F lowell players and staff before a game? Can't wait for that culture to be brought to lowell. Kilmer and Kennedy would be proud. But of course that would mean the committee would have to have had anyone involved or even remotely affiliated with lowell football the last 10 years on it to know that (press box guy doesn't count, hard to hear player interactions from up there). I suppose win at all costs though. Who cares if his best years were with Radtke kids and that pipeline has run dry. Who cares if the corporation cried poor for a referendum, but wait a magical "restructure" and we have money! The agenda was clear and RDP is just a slogan for t shirts. Committee made that abundantly clear.
A guy who left lowell because he was fed up with the corporation and took a job at a different corporation. A principal there for 4 months. Couple staff members who have never touched a football in their life ( also not from lowell), a board member elected 3 months ago and a biased football official. Sounds like a group really invested in lowell football and the betterment of the program. Well done committee.

now that is a bold first post.

[mman74]

IDK NWI, Maybe they hired him due to the fact that he was

5-0 versus Lowell in his time at NP
3-0 versus Hobart with a couple of blow outs in playoffs
beat state ranked Hanover central in playoffs
Beat 6-a Penn in 2021
Played in state finals in 2022 against power east central
won 4 sectionals

to say that his best year were with Radtke kids is just sort of stupid....his worst year was the year he took over from Radtke, He won the sectional again this year in his 5th year

Plus an outstanding man and teacher...

To say this is an embarrassing hire is frankly, just embarrassing.....

[Coach Nowlin 2.0]

not to mention his resume as Valpo's OC which resulted in the State Finals berth

Wishing Coach McKim the best in his new venture

So the question is if you are love RDP football, are you going to support or be part of the problem because youre mad that your friend(s) didn't get the job?

[nwi25]

Nowlin. You coached vs Hudak. You don't think he's capable? He's in the building. You don't think he can win? What's up with the bombers? Why aren't they winning? Did you and Meeks forget how to coach? Or is it a lack of talent which had been Hudaks issues. His teams play hard regardless. I'm hearing today Casey doesn't even have a staff. Resumes are paper thin. Hopefully he can coach O and D. I know Hudak had former head coaches lined up to coach with him. And again I'd prefer my players not to mother F opposing coaches and players at the 50 during pregame, but maybe Casey just "didn't know" about that. Teaching kids to do it the right way is maybe a black eye in todays day and age, if it may cost a win or 2.

[BallinFreak]

I will say I am a tad surprised that if Hudak wanted the job he did not get it.

But surprising decisions happen every year. I know really nothing about the New Praire guy, but he has had success.

[Coach Nowlin 2.0]

Nowlin. You coached vs Hudak. You don't think he's capable? He's in the building. You don't think he can win? What's up with the bombers? Why aren't they winning? Did you and Meeks forget how to coach? Or is it a lack of talent which had been Hudaks issues. His teams play hard regardless. I'm hearing today Casey doesn't even have a staff. Resumes are paper thin. Hopefully he can coach O and D. I know Hudak had former head coaches lined up to coach with him. And again I'd prefer my players not to mother F opposing coaches and players at the 50 during pregame, but maybe Casey just "didn't know" about that. Teaching kids to do it the right way is maybe a black eye in todays day and age, if it may cost a win or 2.

These are all questions that I cannot answer as I have no idea what the stakeholders at Lowell was asking in questions to the candidates.

I get Lowell has a great reputation and for many, it is shocking that they didn't hire a "lowell" guy. My statement is not an indictment of the process however, a reminder if you LOVE RDP, then the football program should continue to get the support, whoever has the HC attached to it.

As far as the Bombers, its been tough playing in the Hoosier after losing over 100 students population in last 10 years, hence our now future indpendent status forthcoming. Let me ask you this nameless NWI25, if the Bombers played in the GSSC last 10 years, what would our overall record be? Demographically right now, school size, etc, that fits what we look like.

[Jimbo23]

Lets play "WE THE COMMITTEE" for a minute... Your choices are between loyal Lowell assistants (ALL GREAT COACHES), Adam Hudak (has been a fine head coach in his own right), and Casey McKim with his resume as a Head Coach and OC. It has to be REALLY hard for a committee to look at the resumes and NOT hire Casey McKim. I know it has to sting for the Lowell fellas (in-house during the 2024 season and prior) and Hudak (a Lowell guy who has worked hard to earn a chance at a job like this), but like Coach Nowlin said, "if you LOVE RDP, then the football program should continue to get the support, whoever has the HC attached to it."

Best of luck to coach McKim, coach Hudak, the Lowell coaches who may or may not have applied, and anyone else that is a part of RDP, past or present.

[RAZORBACK]

Hard to pass up a resume like McKim has had at NP and calling the offense at Valpo. I would have thought Hudak was a lock for that job since he is a “Lowell Guy” after he stepped down at Hammond Central.

I don’t understand all of these people pounding the table for Hudak to be the head coach at Lowell especially after Jimbo’s screenshot of the records. Hudaks best season at HC was in 2022 and that was with Jordan Woods doing it all for that team and winning against a soft schedule. Is Hudak planning to be on staff at Lowell?