The 2014-15 boys basketball season is winding down, and it will be the final season for one area coach.
Libertyville’s Scott Bogumil has resigned, effective at the end of the season. Libertyville athletic director Briant Kelly confirmed Bogumil’s decision in an email Thursday morning.
“It’s a long time coming,” Bogumil said. “The program needs a different voice.”
Bogumil said he first discussed stepping away from the program with Kelly in July of 2014. He said he told Kelly, “let’s take this on a year-to-year basis.”
Bogumil said he told Kelly he wanted to resign on Feb. 11. The next day, he told Libertyville’s principal, Dr. Marina Scott, and the Wildcats’ players of his intention to depart after the season.
Senior center Joe Borcia said players were surprised by the news.
“I heard rumors but never believed they’d be true,” Borcia said. “It was kind of sad. I know he loves to coach his guys.”
Bogumil arrived at Libertyville for the 2004-05 season after a successful seven-year run at what was then Gordon Tech in Chicago (now DePaul College Prep). Bogumil had four 20-win seasons at Gordon Tech and took the Rams to the Class 2A state tournament in 2000.
But he was never able to duplicate that success at Libertyville. The 2005-06 season was Bogumil’s best, with 17 wins. His record of 124-142 in 10 full seasons does not include this year, in which the Wildcats are 12-12 heading into Friday night’s North Suburban Lake finale against Zion-Benton.
Bogumil will remain as a counselor at Libertyville and doesn’t rule out a return to coaching.
“Libertyville is a tough job and you are surrounded by a hotbed of great players. I had some of that at Gordon Tech and it was not able to translate here,” Bogumil said. “What will I do? I might take a year to recharge my batteries and watch practices. I have a lot of friends in coaching and they are calling me now. But I have no regrets. It’s someone else’s turn.”
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Borcia said he and teammates will miss Bogumil’s passion for the game and his loyalty.
“No matter what people say about him, he loved the game. He wanted to win more than anyone I knew,” Borcia said. “And personally, he always had my back.”
Jon Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.