Prep Zone: Longtime Marengo coach Ron Traven remembered for lives he touched

Scott Busam was uncertain what days his unofficial assistant coach would show up for Crystal Lake South softball games.

Busam, the former Gators coach, just knew the dugout would be a livelier place with his mentor around.

“He just came. Nothing was official about it,” Busam said. “He’d just show up at a game and come into the dugout and start barking things out. He just helped out. The kids would say, ‘Who’s this guy?’ I’d say, ‘That’s Coach, just listen to whatever he says, and you’ll be fine.’ It’s just how he was.”

Coach (Ron Traven) knew no strangers … almost literally.

Pete Traven laughs when telling how buying a gallon of milk with his dad likely would take 20 minutes because of the gabfest that would ensue at the store.

Traven taught and coached most of his career at Marengo. He then substitute taught and assisted with coaching at several schools after his retirement. He was ubiquitous.

Ron Traven died Wednesday at his family’s home in Union after a bout with Merkel cell carcinoma, an aggressive cancer that starts in the skin and spreads to other parts of the body. He was 71 and married to his wife, Rose, for 49 years.

Visitation was Sunday afternoon at Marengo-Union Funeral Home. Traven’s funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Marengo’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Tweet from @BradSeaburg: “This was from the early nineties and is proudly displayed in my classroom.”

Seaburg, the Cary-Grove football coach, has a sheet of paper on his wall that reads: “World’s Greatest Coaches!” It has former Cubs manager Don Zimmer’s picture for the major leagues, former Bears coach Mike Ditka for the NFL and Traven for high school.

“When he would sub at Cary-Grove, everyone knew him because the first thing he would say was, ‘I was Coach Seaburg’s coach,'” Seaburg said. “That’s how he was with everyone.”

Traven taught history and coached practically everything – football, basketball, softball. Busam and Seaburg, both 1996 Marengo graduates, are among the many Traven influenced throughout his career.

Traven spent most of his career as an assistant, but was valued by Marengo’s head coaches who knew their underclassmen were properly being taught the fundamentals and nuances of what they would run at the varsity level.

“It was how he approached everybody,” said Pete Traven, the oldest of Ron and Rose’s three children. “He explained the basics and fundamentals and building blocks. He approached everything so it was learnable. He was the consummate educator and teacher.”

Traven’s glory days were spent on the bench with former Marengo boys basketball coach Bill Barry and assistant Roger Cannon. During one stretch, the Indians won 13 Class A regional titles in 15 seasons. He also worked with former head football coach Kelly Camp, whose 1992 team was Class 3A state runner-up and whose 1996 and 1997 teams reached the 3A semifinals.

Tweet from Aaron Piper @apiper84: “There will never be another guy like Coach Traven. Hopefully he’s now running 'Standard' against 'little sisters of the poor.' He will be missed by many. 'I’ve forgotten more basketball than you know Pipe!' RIP Coach.

Traven grew up in Joliet and graduated from Joliet Catholic, where he played for coaching legend Gordie Gillespie. Phil, the middle sibling, thinks his mentoring of Busam, Seaburg and so many others was like what Gillespie did for him.

“I think his passion toward teaching and coaching really resonated with people,” Phil said. “His unselfish nature was important. He was selfless. He had the passion and ability to be a team player with time for people in all walks of life.”

You never knew where Traven would pop up. It could be any sport and any school because, chances are, he knew someone there.

“He was just the kindest and most fun man,” said Alli (Traven) Schultz, Ron and Rose’s daughter. “He loved everybody so much and would just pour that into the time he had with you.”

The Traven children all cherished that they not only had their father in the classroom but also that played for him in sports.

Tweet from Dan Bertrand @bertrandd: “I had the pleasure to meet Ron as Supt at MCHS after he retired. Ron was truly a wonderful man, inspiration to many, who brought happiness to everyone he met. The MCHS family will miss him dearly but the memories will live on forever. God Bless You Ronnie.”

Traven was a die-hard Cubs fan. His family bought him a trip to Randy Hundley’s Official Big-League Baseball Camp after he retired from teaching. It was a present, he would say later, that saved his life.

“He was more active and moved something in the wrong way,” Alli said. “He was in pain when he came back home.”

Traven had a sarcoma, a soft tissue tumor, on his back. Because of that camp, doctors found it in time and treated it twice.

Traven gleefully passed out his baseball card from the camp with a picture of him getting a hit in a full Cubs uniform.

“He was so proud of that card,” Alli said. “It’s still on our fridge.”

Tweet from Stephanie Gleissner (Crystal Lake South teacher) @GleissnerC13: “Going to miss Coach so much. Though we’re heartbroken, there’s no coincidence he found peace on World Kindness Day … it was his legacy … he brought a smile to every person he met.”

As much as Seaburg enjoyed calling Traven, he did so strategically, because it was never a short conversation.

“I’d leave Cary-Grove for our home in Huntley, and it takes me about a half-hour,” Seaburg said. “I’d start talking to Coach when I left, and when I’d reach downtown Huntley, which was about five minutes from home, I’d say, ‘All right, Coach, great to talk to you.’ And I’d still be talking to him when I got home. I’d sit in my car for five more minutes when I got home.”

The tweets Wednesday after Traven died were staggering. Crystal Lake South basketball coach Matt LePage, former Huntley boys track coach Jim Rolando and current coach Chris Maxedon, Crystal Lake Central physical education teacher Amy Johnson and South baseball coach Brian Bogda, to name a few, all expressed their sorrow at Traven’s passing.

The bond for Busam was even stronger with Traven. Scott’s parents, Steve and Bobbi Busam, were best friends with Ron and Rose. Busam’s family was with the Travens' the night before he passed.

“I joked that when he was around, I told him he needed to talk less,” Busam said, "and now, more than anything, I’d like to hear one of his lectures or goofy stories."

• Joe Stevenson is a senior sports writer for the Northwest Herald. He can be reached by email at joestevenson@shawmedia.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @nwh_JoePrepZone.