Checking in on coaching changes around the suburbs

One of the greatest challenges a high school athletic director has this time of year is getting their school's coaching lineup set for the next school year.

Coaches retire. Coaches move on to different jobs. Coaches call it quits for myriad other reasons, like to spend more time with their own families.

That has become a major reason a head varsity coach steps down these days as, to do it right, being a head coach — especially in a high-profile sport — is a 12-month commitment.

We reached out to ADs around the suburbs to check in on what coaching openings remain for the 2023-24 school year and found a plethora.

A couple of major ones first.

Lake Park girls basketball coach, Brian Rupp, resigned his position.

Lancers AD Pete Schauer relayed this to the Lake Park basketball families.

“It is with regret that I am writing to inform you I have accepted the resignation of Head Varsity Basketball Coach Brian Rupp. After leading the Lancers girls basketball program for the last decade, Brian felt it was time to devote more time to his own family after coaching for many years in multiple roles at our school. As I shared with him when we discussed his desire to step down, any decision that prioritizes your family is the right decision. I am very happy for Brian and thankful for his passion and dedication to our program. Coach Rupp will remain at Lake Park as a PE Teacher and Department leader, using these roles to continue to positively impact our students.”

In his 10 seasons as Lake Park's head coach, Rupp amassed 149 wins and led his teams to three regional titles, including this past season. The 2019-2020 team became the first Lake Park basketball team to advance to the IHSA state finals.

“More importantly, Brian positively impacted hundreds of student-athletes while leading our program and formed personal relationships with his players that extended beyond the basketball court,” Schauer wrote.

Hampshire AD Mike Sitter, who spent several years as Elgin's head boys basketball coach, is looking for a new head football coach after Jake Brosman accepted the job at Plainfield South after five years at the helm of the Whip-Purs' program. Brosman was Sitter's first hire at Hampshire.

“The big thing is my family is all from central Illinois and my kids are getting older and getting into sports,” Brosman told Shaw Media's Joe Stevenson. “So it was getting a little closer to family to make the travel to come see them in sports and everything will be a little easier.

“It was an extremely tough decision. The kids, the faculty, all the coaches I've worked with, everything I love at Hampshire. As far as the coaching and everything it was a super tough decision, but thinking about doing what's right for my kids and family made it a little easier. It definitely was a tough decision to leave a great school a great community, great kids and great coaches.”

Sitter told me this week the job is posted and he's had roughly a dozen inquiries so far.

We've reported on some coaching changes in football and basketball in zoned editions of the sports section and online recently and here's a look at some of the other openings around the area, based on information supplied by athletic directors.

Libertyville is looking for a new head boys golf coach to replace Sean Matthews, who is retiring after leading the program for 18 years.

Stevenson AD Tricia Betthauser is still looking to fill openings for the head girls basketball coach, as well as an opening in a non-IHSA sport, fencing.

Aurora Christian and Burlington Central each have openings for a head boys wrestling coach, while BC is still seeking a head girls basketball coach.

At Naperville North, AD Bob Quinn said: “Coach Erin Colletti has resigned after four years as the head girls basketball coach. We are currently accepting applications and letters of interest in our search for our next head coach. I am working with other school administrators to fully understand our anticipated FTE openings/positions for the 2023-2024 academic year. It continues to be our belief that hiring a coach who is a full-time teacher in our school is the best model for athletic department leadership positions. We would anticipate the hiring process to begin in early April.”

That becomes yet another challenge. Getting qualified coaches who are also teachers is not an easy task.

And neither is being an AD today.