For Bob Bartman, taking over as Ottawa‘s boys basketball coach is just another step in a journey that wasn’t a path he saw himself taking over a decade ago.

Bartman takes over for retiring Mark Cooper, who in the past 22 seasons won 357 games, the most in program history.

“I never saw myself as ever being any kind of coach,” Bartman said. “My wife was teaching Mark’s son, Jonathan, in fourth grade, and Mark was at a parent-teacher conference and asked my wife if I’d be interested in coaching.”

Bartman is a 2004 Ottawa graduate who was a three-sport athlete for the Pirates. Away from coaching, he is the president of Illinois Rail Solutions, an on-site railcar repair service.

“Mark and I talked last fall about the fact that this past season might be his last one coaching,” Bartman said. “He gave me added responsibilities this season in part to help get me really ready if he did step away. We then talked about that a number of times during the season, but he really hadn’t truly made a decision.

“So although he didn’t really make his final decision until the very end of the season, all along the way he was doing everything he could to help me be as prepared as I could be stepping into the head coaching position.”

Bartman has worked his way up the coaching ladder and said he’s had so much help along the way.

“I started as the assistant freshman basketball coach under Dan Heaver, and I did that for two years,” Bartman said. “Then Dave Wultzen was getting ready to retire, and I moved to the assistant on the sophomore level for one year before taking over that position the next year. I then coached the sophomore team for seven years before the varsity assistant job became open a couple years ago, and I jumped for that opportunity. I have to say thanks to my employees, because they are the ones that have made my schedule flexible enough to be able coach.

“Getting a chance to consistently work with, just be around, and learn from one of the best around in Mark has been something I’ve just tried to soak it all in.”

Like any coach, Bartman has his own on- and off-the-court philosophies, but he said much of what he believes in is already the foundations of the program.

“How Mark has done things over the years when it comes to on the court concepts and strategy has been a big influence on me, mainly because they’ve worked,” Bartman said. “Nothing will change as far as we’ll play hard, we’ll be prepared, and we’ll defend.

“Do I have ideas of things on the court that we may do different? Sure. The shot clock will have an influence on some things, and the pace at which we’ll play may be a little faster. Like in any high school season, the makeup and skills of the players will always dictate things you are able to do.

“I have ideas of the wrinkles I’d like to implement, but the main core of what has made our teams competitive isn’t going to change.”