Ravlin resigns Johnsburg post

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Luke Ravlin hopes his time away from coaching basketball will be short.

Ravlin, who coached Johnsburg’s boys basketball team the past two seasons, resigned that position this week and will seek a teaching and coaching position in the Dixon or Sterling area. His Skyhawks teams were 44-15 over those two seasons. Johnsburg was 27-3 this season, the third-best record in school history.

Ravlin, 30, and his wife, Suzanne, live in Huntley. She works as a human resources attorney on the west side of Rockford, so the couple is looking to move near Dixon or Sterling, where members of Suzanne’s family live.

“This has nothing to do with the program,” Ravlin said. “Johnsburg has great players, great kids, and it’s a great job. People think the Skyhawks are going to be rebuilding next year, but there’s some talent there and [returning starting guard] Mike Dombrowski is the real deal.”

Ravlin took over the program when former coach Matt Ryndak resigned just before the 2008-09 season.

The Skyhawks were 17-12 with a team of almost all juniors, then came back this season and won the Class 3A Johnsburg Regional. The Skyhawks lost to St. Viator, 66-54, in the Vernon Hills Sectional championship game.

“I don’t have anything lined up, but I hope to teach [English] and coach in the Sterling or Dixon area,” Ravlin said. “If I have an experience anywhere near what I’ve had at Johnsburg, I’ll be absolutely thrilled.”

Ravlin took over a team with experienced players, led by Mike Dixon and C.J. Fiedorowicz, both of whom were fourth-year starters this season.

He met with Johnsburg administrators earlier in the week and told the players in a meeting Wednesday.

The Skyhawks won the Johnsburg/Richmond-Burton Thanksgiving Tournament this season and won the Grant Holiday Tournament after Christmas.

Johnsburg was 14-0 heading into its Fox Valley Conference Fox Division game at Grayslake Central, but lost to the Rams.

Johnsburg also lost its second game to Grayslake Central while Dixon was out with an injury. Dixon returned late in the season and the Skyhawks won their regional.

Ravlin has taught and coached at Johnsburg for three years. He was head sophomore coach for a season before taking over the varsity.