CARROLLTON – Carrollton boys’ basketball coach Jeff Krumwiede can now be considered one of the area’s longest-standing small school basketball coaches with 25 years at the helm as a head coach.
Recently, he etched himself in another category to be remembered forever, notching his 500th career coaching win with a 54-40 victory over Rushville-Industry in the Beardstown Tourney opener.
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Krumwiede is also a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and was co-coach of the year in recent years in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.
“The 500th win happened really fast, especially the last couple hundred which have gone fast,” he said. “It is kind of surprising I got here this quickly. It’s a 25-year journey and there have been a lot of very good players and supportive parents and assistant coaches. I even have a terrific student manager in Grant Mullink and I will hate to lose him this year. There are a lot of people who had their hands in this.”
In many ways, Krumwiede was relieved to capture his 500th win over Rushville-Industry and have it done.
“It was a nice presentation that night,” he said. “They gave me the ball and a plaque one of my parents had put together and another certificate and they had the boys sign it and put it in a frame for me.”
At this point, Krumwiede takes coaching basketball from year to year. He said he is looking forward to taking the helm of the boys’ baseball team this spring, the first time he has coached baseball at Carrollton. Krumwiede replaces Greg Pohlman, who coached the team for many years, who retired before this season.
Calhoun head boys basketball coach/athletic director Ryan Graner said Coach Krumwiede has meant a lot to him in many different ways throughout his life.
"He arrived in Carrollton before the start of my junior season in basketball," Coach Graner said. "I immediately realized that I would never view the game the same way. His approach to the game I loved was completely new to me. Everything we did showed an attention to detail I had not experienced before. Practices were conducted in a demanding, intense way that eventually enabled us to achieve things that we did not realize we could.
"Our scouting reports were more thorough than I thought a high school team's could be. His respect for the history of the game only enhanced my passion for the same. “After college I was fortunate enough to be his assistant for a year and a half before moving into the workforce. During that time, I learned even more about practice planning and what it took to be an effective scout. Lessons learned during this time greatly influenced my future practice plans and scouting reports.
“Upon my return to teaching, Coach K was a tremendous help through recommendations and letters of support. His influence as both a friend, mentor, and colleague has been extremely beneficial throughout my professional and personal lives. When Coach K refers to his former teams as family, it is not lip service. He is always there to provide support, and is always available to offer advice or just listen. I am a very fortunate individual that I can call Coach Jeff Krumwiede my friend, my coach, my mentor, and a daunting opponent.”
Krumwiede’s Hawks teams have won nine regional championships; he also won one at Franklin. His teams have won three sectional championships, six Winchester Invitational titles and three WIVC crowns. He is the all-time winningiest basketball coach at CHS. The Hawks and Franklin Flashes have entered 60 regular season tournaments and made it to championship game 30 times with a record of 16-14. They’ve entered 24 regionals and reached the championship games 19 times with a record of 10-9. His teams have made 10 sectional appearances, including the championship game five times with a 3-2 record. One state final appearance (0-1), makes a total of 95 tournaments entered and 55 championship games with a record of 29-26.
Reflecting the last week and communicating with several of his players sparked Krumwiede to reflect deeply on the success he has had in coaching.
“The most humble thing I can say is I had very good players,” he said. “We try to take pride in the tradition over the years in Carrollton and accomplishments of people before us. Continuing that tradition and getting kids to buy in early on as freshman is part of it. We have high expectations for our teams.”
Jeff's daughter, Hannah, is an emerging young star on Carrollton's girls basketball team. He said he has said every year the last six or seven years, this year could be his last, so his future will be decided from year to year as he said.
"I don't get to see many of her games and I hate it," he said. "That is a factor as far as my future is concerned. I am taking it one game at a time as far as my future is concerned. I am excited to get back into coaching baseball. It will be interesting to see at the end of baseball how I am doing with two head coaching jobs."
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