With 27 years of coaching experience, newly hired Moraine Valley men's basketball Head Coach John Chappetto is looking to recreate the success he's had and enable student-athletes to embrace the college experience in and out of the classroom.
Chappetto has spent the last five years as a top assistant basketball coach at Saint Xavier University. Prior to that, he was an assistant varsity coach (2000-2002) then head basketball coach (2002-2014) at Richards High School, where he is a social studies teacher. His first coaching job was at St. Laurence High School. He also has coached at Evergreen Park High School. Between 2006 and 2011, Chappetto was a coach for the Dwayne Wade Basketball Camps. Since 2013, he has been the camp director of Coaches.
Throughout his high school coaching years, Chappetto has guided a number of teams to successful runs. He led the 2008 team to the IHSA Class 4A State Championship with a 30-4 record and earned an IHSA Coach of the Year honor. He is Richards' all-time winningest coach with a 220-115 record, which included nine consecutive conference championships. For three straight years (2006-2008), he was named IBCA District Coach of the Year, and many of his players have moved on to play Division I college basketball.
"Being a teacher and coach is who I am. I grew up around basketball. I'm 5-5, so I only played in grammar school, but my dad was a referee. I was always in the gym. I love and understand the game," he said.
Chappetto was informed of the coaching opportunity at Moraine Valley and jumped on the chance. "I feel this is my last shot to be a head coach, so I'm excited. There is a lot of talent in the area," he said.
What Chappetto wants to bring to the college is what most coaches dream of—a national championship. But he wants more for his players.
"What's most important is a complete basketball experience. I want to give them a focus on academics, how to behave as young men and structure on the basketball floor so they can move on. That's more important than a championship. If I can help them get there, then that's a good thing," he said. "I think I can provide them that opportunity to move on in life and do so successfully."
Chappetto is getting to know the players who will return from this year as well as recruit for the 2019-2020 season. His connections with coaches and players in the southland will help, but he is still on the hunt for more talent to head to Moraine Valley.
"Coach Chappetto is a rock star among Illinois basketball coaches. He has great coaching experience—an Illinois Coach of the Year—leading Richards High School to a state championship," said Moraine Valley Athletics director Bill Finn. "He is a renowned skills instructor and basketball camp director. It is an unbelievable hire for Moraine Valley to have him as our head basketball coach."