Fralick to coach Tigers

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CRYSTAL LAKE – Matt Fralick played an integral role in Crystal Lake Central’s football revival over the past several years, and now he gets to take over in the top spot.

Fralick, 39, has been named as the Tigers head football coach after working nine years at the school as an assistant, the last five as head sophomore coach. He replaces Jon McLaughlin, who was
29-29 in six seasons as head coach with three playoff appearances in the past four seasons.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity ahead of us,” said Fralick, who graduated from Woodstock in 1988 and played football for the Blue Streaks. “We made a lot of progress under coach McLaughlin. I’m really excited to get started for next year. We start with Cary-Grove, Prairie Ridge and Peoria Richwoods, so we have our work cut out for us.”

C-G won the IHSA Class 6A state championship. Prairie Ridge (6A) and Richwoods (5A) made it to the semifinals.

Fralick has one year of head varsity coaching experience at Alden-Hebron in 2000.

The next year he went to Central, where he teaches health and driver education.

Fralick experienced some of the lean years at Central before the Tigers began turning it around under McLaughlin. Fralick’s sophomore teams’ success played a big part in him being hired as head coach.

“We had a lot of good candidates,” Central athletic director Doug Blundy said. “We liked the things Matt had to say, and we liked the job he’s done with the sophomore team.”

Fralick’s hiring becomes official at the District 155 school board meeting in March.

Fralick and his wife, Michele, have a son, Jacob (10) and a daughter, Mattie (7). He said he has not had a chance to talk to staff members about their roles for next year.

As the sophomore coach, Fralick had a chance to call the shots. Now, he will be doing it on a bigger stage.

“I’m looking forward to that challenge,” Fralick said.

McLaughlin left because his son, Cody, plays football at Grayslake North and he would not be able to see him play if he were coaching. The Tigers were 5-49 in the six seasons before McLaughlin’s arrival. The Tigers have been regular playoff participants and won their first playoff game in 31 years this season, 25-14, over Fenton.