Tremont Mail

Spartan Football Coach Eric Lyons

Olympia Spartan football coach Eric Lyons is this week's Coach of the Week. Coach Lyons has had a life full of football. During his childhood, Coach Lyons grew up the son of a football coach, so he was destined for a future full of football. Lyons played high school football for the South Piatt Co-op, where he was a four-year starter, a two-time Decatur Herald all area player, and earned News Gazette all area player one year as well. At the end of his high school career, Lyons left as the all-time leader in career assists, solo tackles, and tackles for loss. He also held the single season records for each of those categories. His incredible high school football career earned him a scholarship to play at McKendree College. After a freshman year injury, Coach Lyons made the transfer to Eureka College where he was a four-year starter, three year All Illini Badger Conference selection at offensive guard, three-time Nick Award winner for the team’s most valuable Offensive Lineman, and a two-year team captain. Coach Lyons’ playing career was over, but he was not done with football in the slightest. 

His first coaching job was an offensive line coach at Normal Community. In his first year of coaching, the team finished the season with a 10-2 record. After this season, Lyons went back to Eureka College where he was the head men’s and women’s track coach and the offensive line coach. Coach Lyons completed his degree in Physical Education and took a teaching job at Normal University High where he was also the defensive coordinator from 2007-2013. During his time with U-High, the defense led 5A in points allowed twice, set a program record with seven straight shutouts in the 2012 season, and recorded the most wins over a three-year period in U-High football history. In 2013, Coach Lyons took the head coach job at Morton High School where he was the coach from 2013-2015. During his time at Morton, Lyons had historic wins over Washington and Metamora. In 2016, Lyons took a defensive coordinator job at Bloomington High School where they finished 5-4 in 2016 and 2017 and were third in the conference for points allowed in both of those seasons. 

In 2018, Coach Lyons took over the Olympia football program and hasn’t looked back since. The program’s winning percentage and number of players have improved every year that Coach Lyons has been at Olympia. Coach Lyons says that these are “two accomplishments I am very proud of.” In the spring of 2021, the team finished their season at 4-2, tying the best winning percentage of any team at Olympia since 1986. Coach Lyons says that his favorite thing about coaching at Olympia is “the people I have been able to work with. My coaching staff and support staff are the finest I have had the opportunity to work with. I am very fortunate and am greatly looking forward to the future. We have great students and great teachers.” Coach Lyons has bled Olympia blue and white since the day he started coaching at Olympia, he even has a Spartan head tattoo on his chest to prove it.