Mount Carmel Coach Frank Lenti Inducted into the IHSFCA Hall of Fame

Chicago – Mount Carmel High School Head Football Coach Frank Lenti was inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA) Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 5, at the University of Illinois.  The last award given out as a result of the 2007 football season, the plaque will join the 2007 Tony Lawless Award for Best Coach in the Chicago Catholic League, and the 2007 Daily Southtown Coach of the Year Award.

Lenti has been the head coach at Mount Carmel since 1984.  In his 24 years as the head coach, he has compiled a record of 272 wins and 44 losses.  He is known for his mild, modest demeanor and compassion in coaching his players.  His tremendous work ethic is an example to coaches in his program, as well as in the state and across the country.

Under Lenti's leadership, Mount Carmel High School has won 86 percent of their games and acquired nine state championships in 13 state final appearances.  Since he took over the program, the Caravan have won three Prep Bowls, made 22 straight playoff appearances and earned 15 Chicago Catholic League Titles, while posting a Catholic League record of 114-10 since 1988.

During his tenure as the head football coach, Mount Carmel has had 25 All-State selections and 2 All-Americans.  A coach that has always put academic studies first, he has sent numerous student athletes to play college football at well-known institutions like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, the University of Notre Dame, Boston College, Northwestern University, the University of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Michigan to name a few.

Coach Lenti is in demand as a popular speaker across the country, not only to present topics relating to football, but also in areas of motivation, organization, and acquiring positive mental attitude characteristics. A thorough student of the game, Lenti was a member of the McGregor Clinic Advisory Board, and was the only high school coach in the country to serve on the Gatorade Sports Scholastic Coach Magazine board.

In a reception held at Mount Carmel High School prior to his departure for the induction dinner, Coach Lenti shared the award with the Mount Carmel Community stating, “This award is not only for me, it is for all of us.  We all work together to make this a great place for our students.  This is an award that is shared with fellow coaches, teachers, administrators, parents and the students that we work with.”