Former Warren coach Chuck Ramsey to lead CLC men’s team
The former Warren boys head coach, who decided to end his career at the school in March after nearly four decades on the staff, will now go to those same high school games with something else on his mind: recruiting.
Ramsey confirmed to the Daily Herald on Tuesday that he has been named the new men’s basketball coach at the College of Lake County, and that he is eager to add players from the area to his roster.
This is Ramsey’s first job in the collegiate ranks. He spent 37 years coaching at Warren, the last 19 years as the head coach.
Under Ramsey, the Blue Devils went 403-142 and averaged 21 wins a season.
They won 10 North Suburban titles, 14 regionals, 7 sectionals and also went downstate twice, finishing second both times.
“This is a tremendous opportunity and I’m really excited about it,” Ramsey said. “It’s something new and fresh and I’m hoping we can build a program that is very competitive for many years into the future.”
Ramsey said that he heard about the job opening at CLC in the spring, interviewed and was offered the position in June.
“I really wanted to continue in coaching and we (Ramsey and his wife Chris) were staying in Gurnee and this opportunity was close and it is a nice change for me.”
The biggest change for Ramsey will be evaluating high school players not as just opponents but as future players in his own system.
He says he has been trying to get a jump on that ever since he agreed to terms with CLC.
“We’ve already been out and on the phone, talking to a lot of kids and coaches in the area,” Ramsey said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of carry over (from last year’s CLC team), so we’re really going to be starting fresh (with new players).
“I’m really aiming to get as many Lake County guys as I can. I think one nice thing that I’ve noticed is that the high school basketball in Lake County has been improving by leaps and bounds over the years, so there are a lot of good players out there.
“I think we have the chance to really help some kids out, and with the way today’s economy is, CLC is a tremendous bargain. Then hopefully, we can help some of our guys to move on and play somewhere else.”
A defensive-minded coach, Ramsey doesn’t expect his style to change much.
“The things we tried to emphasize at Warren over the years will help teams at any level, whether you’re with the Miami Heat, the Kentucky Wildcats or anywhere,” Ramsey said. “You have to defend, rebound and you can’t turn the ball over.
“I do think we’ll be able to do more on offense, based on the talent and skill level of the players and the fact that there is a shot clock. We’ll want to get up and down the floor.”
Ramsey isn’t going to waste any time getting started. He will be holding open gyms starting in August and will conduct open tryouts in September.
“We’re a bit behind in recruiting so we’re going to do the best we can in this first year,” Ramsey said. “But we’ll get our feet on the ground and the goal is to establish a strong program that we can really enjoy over the years.”