Crystal Lake South High School football coach quits

Jim Stuglis, the most successful football coach in Crystal Lake South High School's history, resigned abruptly Wednesday morning and nobody is saying why.

Stuglis turned in his letter of resignation about 2:30 a.m., following a closed-door session with the Community High School District 155 board, district spokesman Jeff Puma said.

The resignation comes amid a criminal probe into missing funds at the school.

Stuglis, also the school's physical education teacher, has not been named as a suspect and has publicly denied doing anything unlawful, said his attorney, Mark Gummerson.

"He resigned subject to a written agreement," Gummerson confirmed Wednesday. "It's a resignation without any admission of wrongdoing."

Puma declined to say from which department the missing funds originated, pointing to the ongoing investigation. An unnamed district employee was placed on leave earlier this year as the district conducted its own inquiry into the allegations, but school officials have declined to disclose that person's identity.

Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Gene Lowery said this week that the department's criminal investigation is ongoing and that there is no set time for its completion.

Philip Hiscock, criminal division chief for the McHenry County State's Attorney, said he could not comment on a pending investigation.

Stuglis, the school's longtime athletic director, has been the high school's head football coach since 2000.

His football teams went 80-32 and reached the IHSA playoffs the last nine seasons, the longest active streak in the area.

Under Stuglis, the Gators advanced to a Class 6A semifinal in 2005 and a Class 7A semifinal in 2008.

Last season, Crystal Lake South finished with a 9-2 record, barely losing in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs to Lake Zurich, 30-28.

Before heading the football program, Stuglis coached wrestling from the 1995-96 season through 1998-99.

He joined the district in 1993 as a physical education teacher and became Crystal Lake South's athletic director in 1996.

Stuglis did not return calls to his home and mobile phones.

Superintendent Jill Hawk also did not return phone calls.

Daily Herald Staff Writers Jerry Fitzpatrick and Charles Keeshan contributed to this report