Orland Parker Dean Casper Staying Ahead Of The Game

Dean Casper, of Orland Park, has spent most of his 58 years involved with sports. If he’s not watching, he’s coaching. If he’s not coaching, he’s officiating.

Casper’s involvement in sports began as a child in the Scottsdale neighborhood of Chicago where he played baseball for the Scottsdale Youth Association.

“We played baseball at Durkin Park on the southwest side of Chicago,” Casper said. “The teams would have to do field maintenance every day. You learned how to field every bad hop imaginable on those city park fields.”

Casper works as a business specialist for a local school district and he and his wife, Mary Beth, live in Orland Park. A registered nurse, Mary Beth has lived in Orland Park since moving there as a child in 1972. Dean moved to the community in 1993. The Brother Rice alumnus holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University where he played baseball for two years.

Casper has served on the Community Consolidated School District 146 School Board for the past 20 years.

“Most people don’t realize that school board members are not paid,” Casper said. “They’re volunteers who are genuinely interested in making quality educational opportunities available for everyone,” Casper said. “Schools are important in every community – whether you have kids in the schools or not. Good schools make good communities and we all have vested interests in our towns,” he said.

Sports were a constant in the Casper house with four boys, all of whom are now adults. “All four of our boys were involved in sports,” Casper said. “My stepsons played baseball, football and soccer. My nephew, who lived with us, played soccer and baseball, and our son played baseball and football. We were constantly running to practices and games,” he recalled smiling. Three of the four boys now live out of state in Florida, Kentucky and Georgia.

Casper coached his boys’ sports teams when they played for the Tinley Park Bobcats and the Southwest Chicago Inter-League Association (SWILA) Baseball League. Casper was also an active member of the Brother Rice Dads’ Club.

“I enjoyed coaching and helping our boys’ teams because I was able to spend time with them and I got to know their friends, many of whom we still see,” Casper said.

Casper touts the benefit of involving children in youth sports. “All kids should try different sports so they can decide what they like. Being a part of a team is a great way to learn sportsmanship, teamwork, camaraderie, mutual respect, discipline, socialization – the benefits are endless,” he said.

Now that his boys are grown with families of their own, Casper’s sports involvement includes officiating for the Illinois High School Association, the Illinois Elementary School Association, the Tinley Park Bulldogs and Bobcats and the Orland Youth Association. He is a member of the Illinois Officials Association, the South Suburban Officials Association and Central Officials Association

“We are always looking for adults to become officials. You don’t have to have kids in the program. You can simply enjoy the sport,” Casper said. “The groups provide free training and officials are paid for each of the games.” Those interested in learning how to officiate can send an email to sportsofficiating@yahoo.com or click the officials button at IHSA.org to become a licensed sports official.

“Youth sports have changed tremendously - for better and worse,” Casper noted. “The facilities, equipment and opportunities to play teams from all over the country are far more today than ever. However, in my day, more kids were involved in sports than we see today.”

Casper noted that parent volunteers who make sports programs possible are able to be a part of their children’s sports experiences. “It’s because of parent volunteers that kids are able to play. And, we need officials in order to have games. The officials are the guardians of the games and are there to ensure fair play, sportsmanship and mutual respect among coaches and players,” Casper said.

“Not every player is going to play D-1 or get a sports scholarship for college,” Casper said. “Parents should enjoy the time watching their kids compete because it goes quickly,” he said. “We hear how parents feel a loss after their kids’ sports careers have ended. This is very true, especially if kids have been playing most of their lives. Enjoy the moment and hold onto the memories of seeing your kids being a part of something they like,” he said.

Casper noted that while his sports involvement now is as an official, he’s become a proud spectator as well.

“Our nine year old granddaughter has been playing softball for four years and she really enjoys it. It’s nice to sit on the sidelines and watch the game, seeing our granddaughter and her friends have fun,” Casper said. “Mary Beth and I are both looking forward to one day seeing our almost two-year-old grandson get into sports when he’s old enough. We’ll be smiling on the sidelines, cheering from our lawn chairs.”

(Story written by Marjorie Owens-Klotz and reprinted for The Patch with permission.)