RL's Coursey can foresee improvement

John Coursey spent so long pursuing his dream that he has both respect for it and perspective on it.

Round Lake's new head football coach doesn't have a posh office with an aerial view overlooking his team's stadium, but he's not complaining.

He has so few assistants that all can squeeze into the cozy coaches office next to the gym and have ample elbow room. His players come from diverse backgrounds and most don't come from money. The name John Coursey isn't even listed yet in Round Lake's school phone directory.

But the former small-level college coach is here, happy, trying to steer a program that last year saw its varsity go 1-8 for the fifth time in nine years. He'll be on the sidelines tonight when the Panthers open their 2008 season against perennial Opening Night foe Westosha Central from just north of the Illinois-Wisconsin border.

Coursey, truth be told, has been down this sometimes-bumpy road before.

He spent the last four years at Evergreen Park, coaching the football team to a state-playoff berth in 2006 before the Mustangs went winless last fall.

"One of the things I did there was change the culture," Coursey said. "Our kids became better people."

He proudly notes his program boasted three academic all-staters and 19 all-conference selections. Coursey says he initiated an academic study hall, where his players convened for one hour before every practice, and a year-round weightlifting program. Twice a year, Evergreen Park's players participated in a community-service project.

"We did some good things," Coursey said, "things that I'm extremely proud of."

Alas, after last season, he says he was kind of burnt out. He sought a change.

With his brother living in Green Oaks, his sister in Park Ridge and his mother in Morton Grove, where he grew up, the Niles West graduate was familiar with the northeastern part of the state. Coursey also has a home in Kenosha.

He landed at Round Lake, where principal Kurt Sinclair is an old acquaintance.

"He's a Carthage (College) grad," Coursey said. "He was there when I was coaching, so that shows you how old I'm getting."

Coursey is 48. Before accepting the head football position at Evergreen Park, he coached at Carthage, Concordia University and his alma mater, Illinois Wesleyan University.

"I was chasing the dream, like everyone else," Coursey said. "I wanted to be a big-time coach. I tell everybody it's like minor league baseball. You got to be in the right place with someone moving up."

He spent the majority of his years at Carthage, Concordia and IWU serving as a defensive coordinator, but he also coached receivers, backs, linebackers, you name it. Give him a football and students, and he's at home.

"The only thing I didn't coach in college was offensive line," said Coursey, who played football for Illinois Wesleyan. "I absolutely loved coaching at that level."

After going 12-25 in four years at Evergreen Park, Coursey was hired by Round Lake last spring to teach social studies and run the football program. He replaces the likable Doug Moss, who went 5-22 in three years.

"Coach Moss did a lot of good things that you wouldn't know unless you're sitting in my seat," Coursey said. "He upgraded a lot of things for these kids. They've got great equipment. They've got great uniforms."

Coursey may have moved to Round Lake Beach, but he knows his job will not be a day at the beach. He has work to do if the Panthers are ever to get back to the state playoffs (they last made it in 2001), or just get back to respectability in the North Suburban Prairie Division.

"I got to change the culture of the school, the program," Coursey said. "What we're trying to preach is commitment, responsibility and accountability. I say those three things every day."

It'll take a group effort, he adds, with the group including Sinclair and athletic director Spencer Byrd.

"I'm not a big ego guy," Coursey said. "I work hard. I came here because I think it's the right opportunity for me at this time in my life. I think it's going to make me a better coach."

For Round Lake's sake and his, I hope so.

jaguilar@dailyherald.com