By Bobby Narang
The end of the high school basketball season signals the start of a season of change for some schools.
Several schools are in the midst of looking for new varsity head coaches in boys and girls basketball still in March.
West Aurora High School remains in search for a new boys basketball head coach after Brian Johnson was fired after eight seasons leading the program. In 2015, after legendary West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman retired at the end of his 39th year, and 53rd overall in the program, coaching the varsity, Johnson took over the helm.
The hiring of Johnson signaled a new era for the program, and Johnson did his part.
Under Johnson, West Aurora remained one of the top teams in the Fox Valley area by finishing the 2022-23 season with an 18-15 won-loss record following a defeat to highly-ranked Oswego East in the Class 4A Lockport Regional championship game.
Johnson compiled a 129-102 won-loss in eight seasons at West Aurora, winning both three consecutive Southwest Suburban Conference championships and four regional championships in a row, plus a sectional championship in 2018. A former assistant under Kerkman, a legendary coach who won 806 games, Johnson guided the Blackhawks through a tough time during the recent coronavirus pandemic.
He confirmed the news about his firing through social media in a lengthy post.
“The news of my release from being the head boys’ basketball coach at West Aurora has been disheartening for me and my family,” Johnson said. “I cherished leading the program. I’m lucky to have worked with outstanding coaches on my staff.”
• In other news, the Naperville North girls basketball program is searching for a new varsity coach following the resignation of Erin Colletti. The former Sandburg and DePaul alum guided the Huskies to an 86-23 record in one of the best four-year runs in program history. The Huskies won the DuPage Valley Conference three times, including a 30-5 record last season. Colletti cited her family for the main reason why she was stepping down. She has four young children.
“I’m constantly all over the place, and I just don’t feel like I can do it like I’m supposed to do it,” Colletti said.
• West Chicago boys basketball coach Bill Recchia stepped down after 11 years leading the program. He coached Memphis Grizzles guard/forward John Konchar.
“For the past 11 years, it has been my absolute honor and privilege to be the head coach of Wildcat basketball,” Recchia said on social media.