Long's incredible 33-year career nearing an end

Ron Long has amassed an incredible list of accomplishments over the past 33 years during his time coaching multiple sports and serving as a counselor at Libertyville and Vernon Hills High Schools.

But some recent feats really stand out.

In 2005, he coached the Vernon Hills boys bowling team to a third-place finish in the state tournament. And this year, his bowling team finished second, losing to Rockford Guilford in late January.

“A goal before I retired was, I wanted to get a state (championship) trophy,” Long said. “We came just short, but tried our best this season. That was a great accomplishment, and we had such a fun year. What a great team to be with.”

Those two teams also are Long's biggest coaching regrets, though he prefers to say, disappointments. Long said he'd never use the term regret.

“I thought that (2005) team had a chance to win state at that point. They were unbelievable athletes,” Long said. “And this year is a little disappointing, too, because I really felt this team could win state.”

So maybe the Cougars will do it in 2012. But will Long be their boss is the bigger — still undecided — question.

Long, 57, a Gurnee resident and father of two, is retiring from his day job as Vernon Hills counselor.

“It was a lot of fun,” Long said. “The kids make it fun. The athletes make it fun. The students here and at Libertyville have been the reason why I've always done so well, because of their demeanor and the way they approach adults.

“The kids keep you young. They keep you in the here and now. Dealing with them has always been fun for me.”

For all 33 years.

“You never anticipate anything in life,” he said. “I just try to live each day the best I can, and hopefully get by and do the right things. The years just flew by after a while. Moving to each building (two different Libertyville High School campuses and now at Vernon Hills), was kind of a renewal in some sense. That was refreshing, to get new starts.

“I'm not sure I'm going to hang 'em up from coaching. I'm still thinking about continuing the bowling (coaching) career; we'll see what happens. But I think it's just time to move on and maybe try a new interest. (Retirement) gives me a chance to reflect and see where I want to go with my life.”

That certainly includes enjoying his son's sporting adventures. Jonathan, 14, is a freshman at Grayslake Central who played soccer and is now wrestling, and Dad predicts Jonathan will join the track team in the spring.

Long's daughter, Anna, 18, is a senior at Grayslake Central, and is heading to Central Michigan University in the fall on an academic scholarship.

“I have no bona fide plan (for the future) … just reflect and see what happens,” Long said. “I'm sure I'm going to work somewhere. I'm just not yet sure how much or how long or where.”

But he certainly will be missed in the halls of the Lakeview Parkway campus, along with 12 other faculty members who are retiring at the end of the school year — including business teacher Sheryl Olson and health teacher Andy Bitta — each of whom ranks with Long on the seniority scale.

“Both kids and staff are going to greatly miss him,” Vernon Hills principal Ellen Cwick said of Long. “He's just so student-centered. You can't walk by his office without seeing two or three kids in there, eating lunch or chatting about something. He's just kind of a kid-magnet. The kids really enjoy him. They feel real comfortable with him — and that's the highest praise for a counselor.

“Ron lives and breathes Vernon Hills High School. He bleeds blue and silver. He will be greatly missed.”

Particularly in the local sports community, where he has built a legacy. Let's see:

• Football: Was an assistant for 15 years, and one of top players he coached was Kevin Walter, an NFL standout since 2003.

• Track: Was an assistant for 12 years and 13 years as a head varsity coach.

• Ice hockey: Was the Libertyville boys head coach for two years in the late-1980s.

• Girls golf: Coached for numerous years at Vernon Hills.

• Softball: Was an announcer for Vernon Hills' home games.

• Basketball: Was a referee at multiple levels, including varsity for 25 years.

“Over the last 32 years, I have coached with Ron in both football and track,” said Libertyville football coach Randy Kuceyeski. “We coached together for the first 17 or 18 years. He (also) was an outstanding track coach who always got the most out of his kids. He was always looking for ways to score a point in the big meets that would allow us to beat faster teams like North Chicago and Zion.

“We won several conference championships together in track and I will always remember the great times we had doing it, especially all the times that we were the underdogs.

“In football, he was always enthusiastic on the field and made it fun for the kids no matter what we were doing in practice. The entire district will miss his experience and the relationships that he always seems to build with his players.”

Long's coaching legacy includes many state qualifiers in track and even some state champions.

Lawrence Wade won the 400-meter dash while at Libertyville. Matt Leffler was second-best in state during his time at Vernon Hills.

“One of the goals when I was coaching track was to have a state qualifier every year that I was an assistant,” Long said. “I went to state every year, and just learned to love that event. With 18 different events, it's very exciting to watch.”

Libertyville athletic director Briant Kelly said Long's track legacy includes “outstanding teams and individuals.” Before becoming AD, Kelly was Libertyville's boys track coach.

“He'd work his kids hard, prepare them well, and thus they did well in meets,” Kelly said.

Long is an avid golfer who stays fit physically in the gym about five days per week, and mentally by challenging himself with mind puzzles. The lone sport he never participated in, yet wanted to — and even bought a pair of boots for — was snow skiing.

He grew up in Melrose Park and attended Holy Cross High School for his first three years before transferring to Downers Grove North for his senior year when his family moved. He went to Illinois State University, and he also received his master's degree from ISU. He has a secondary teaching degree from National Louis University.

Long is the second-oldest of seven siblings, with one older brother. His dad, Denzel, was a test pilot in the Air Force who died when Ron was 6 months old. His mom, Helen, remarried when he was 5.

And at age 32, Ron was asked by his stepfather, Howard, if he wanted to be adopted, because Howard, a car salesman who often worked 12-hour days, just never really had the chance to get the paperwork done before that time.

Ron agreed, which explains why Ron Phillips worked at Libertyville for 18 years, and it's been Ron Long ever since.

“I think I've done a good job as a counselor. I think I've helped many kids in their lives, and I'm going to miss that atmosphere,” said Long, who reflected with laughter on the countless styles, trends and changes he's endured in his career.

“I started with paper and pencil at my job. Now everything is computers and high tech. In fact, I've had to learn two different (computer) systems. I've used a computer a lot more than I ever thought I would in my life.”

What about the actual counseling?

That's changed, too. It's decreased, he said, because of school expansion and more departments and jobs.

And there's a lot more paperwork nowadays, he said.

Long said it's the students that he will miss most, but he has decades worth of memorable moments ... especially from the past few years.

Such as when the 2005 bowling team was preparing to drive to the state finals, with Long driving the bus. Just before they left, the dad of brothers Jordan and Chris Weaver went around the bus and blessed it.

“That was sort of a historical moment, something that had a lasting impression because it really seemed to get the whole team focused and ready to go. And we had a great trip,” Long said. “This year, too, (to the state finals). When we left the parking lot, I had a feeling we were going down there to win state, not just show up. And those feelings don't come around too often. Those are great moments because you feel so proud as a coach to know that you have a team that can kind of put up, walk the walk.

“Yeah, there are so many other memories.”

For Long and many others in Lake County ... thanks to Long.