McLean High football, shown here in action versus Fairfax High last year, was 0-10 in Jim Patrick's first year as head coach in 2008. But the Highlanders, under Patrick, went on to qualify for the region playoffs the following three years. Patrick, following last year's successful season, stepped down and Dennis Worek, a long time football coach in the Northern Region, was named the Highlanders' new head coach. Patrick remains a big part of McLean High athletics as the school's director of student activities. Photo by Craig Sterbutzel.
McLean — This past Jan. 25, McLean High School announced that Dennis Worek would be the man to coach the Highlanders' high school football team. This after Jim Patrick stepped down as the McLean head coach to devote more time to being the school's director of student activities.
Coach Worek arrived at McLean High School after spending two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Thomas Jefferson High. But he has a lot more experience than that.
Starting off as a freshman coach at West Springfield High, he became the offensive coordinator at Hayfield after just one year with the Spartans. He moved on to be the offensive line coach at Lake Braddock and after that stop became offensive coordinator at Catholic University (Wash., D.C.).
Worek next joined W.T. Woodson as a defensive assistant/special teams coach before landing his first job as a head coach at Langley High School. After spending four years at Langley he joined James Madison High School to become their new head coach.
After seven years as James Madison's head coach, Worek looked for a new challenge and found it at Chantilly High School, becoming its new assistant Principal.
He ultimately got back into football coaching, joining the Jefferson High program as its defensive coordinator and then, most recently, landing the job as McLean High School's head coach.
Coach Worek believes that former McLean head coach, Jim Patrick, did a great job before stepping down. Worek explained that he wants to continue the winning tradition.
"McLean is already competitive," said Worek. "They have been in the D-5 playoffs the last three years. There is a strong program in place."