Courtesy of its 47-43 victory over Wheaton North on Friday night, improving itself to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the DuPage Valley Conference, Naperville Central gave its coach Pete Kramer his 200th career win at the helm of the program.
“It’s about the kids, but when you get into it, you know, first of all, it’s an accomplishment. It’s something that certainly isn’t easy,” Kramer said Sunday afternoon. “It’s not easy to get to. I think the next 200 might be easier, for some reason or another. You spend a lot of time establishing your program and what you want and what you’ve gotten to see and what can be successful with the kind of kids you have coming into school and stuff.”
In the 11-plus years Kramer has had since taking over for Bob Sterr prior to the start of the 2003-04 season, he’s compiled a 200-125 record entering Monday night;’s game with Wheeling at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic.
Under Kramer’s stewardship, the Redhawks have four 20-win seasons, with Drew Crawford helping lead the program to a program-record 27 victories in 2008-09, two regional titles and a sectional title in Kramer’s second season in 2004-05.
“I think, right now, we’re in a good place where we have a good idea of what we want to do when it comes to the offensive end and the defensive end and the kids coming up and stuff like that,” Kramer said. “So I just think you have to have the talent. It can’t be all coaching, as I know for sure. But you still got to have good players coming in. That always helps.”
