Girls soccer: Crystal Lake Central coach Sarah Fack steps away from coaching

As Sarah Fack started to plan for the upcoming school year, she ran into a dilemma.

How was she going to find the time to do it all?

Fack has a young family and because of schedules and childcare conflicts, she realized it would be too difficult to coach for at least the next couple of years. She decided to step down as Crystal Lake Central’s head coach.

“It’s sad,” Fack said. “We’ve built a whole lot of the past few years. We’ve had a lot of success, it’s going to be tough to step back. But I’m grateful to Central for the opportunity to lead the program, through all the time, help and support of the administration and my other coaches who are obviously instrumental in the program’s success. It’s not ideal, but it’s where we’re at with scheduling right now.”

Fack leaves the program at an all-time high. The Tigers won their first state championship this spring and have appeared in the state finals for two straight years, taking third in last season’s Class 2A finals.

After a below-.500 record during her first season in charge in 2017, Fack elevated Central to another level. The Tigers won two state trophies, three sectional titles and four regional crowns in six playoff appearances. Fack finished with a 111-37-4 record during her tenure and was named the Northwest Herald Girls Soccer Coach of the Year three times (2019, 2023, 2024).

Although leaving after winning the program’s first state title might seem like it would make the decision a little bit easier, Fack admitted it makes it harder. Fack and her coaching staff spent years building a strong culture, and she felt like they had built something that will last for years.

“This team is so talented, my coaching staff is amazing and really talented as well,” Fack said. “I don’t really expect that they’re going to miss a beat. I think they’re going to have a lot of success. We’ve still got so many great, talented players in this program that they’re going to do awesome again this season.”

First-year Central athletic director Dave Shutters was surprised when Fack informed him of her decision over the summer, but he understood the importance of putting family first. Shutters said he’s already looking for her replacement and hopes to hire someone as quickly as possible.

“It’s sad. We’ve built a whole lot of the past few years, we’ve had a lot of success, it’s going to be tough to step back. But I’m grateful to Central for the opportunity to lead the program, though all the time, help and support of the administration and my other coaches who are obviously instrumental in the program’s success. It’s not ideal but it’s where we’re at with scheduling right now.”

—  Sarah Fack, former Crystal Lake Central girls soccer coach

He’ll be looking for someone who can build upon the foundation Fack and her staff built. While Shutters is open to internal candidates, he wants the new coach to emulate some of the great qualities that helped Fack lead the Tigers to success.

“She was such a dedicated, hard-working coach,” Shutters said. “The athletes respected her, she had a mission, she had a goal, she had directives to these kids and she used those athletes to take them to the next level. She found out what made them champions and honed in on their skills to produce a wonderful environment here at Central.”

Fack said she hopes to return to coaching as soon as her family schedule lightens up. In the meantime, she’ll be a part of the program as a volunteer.

While the decision wasn’t easy, Fack is confident that Central can continue the success she’s built over the years. She can’t wait to see what they do.

“I’m excited to see what they continue to accomplish,” Fack said. “I’m grateful for the time I had with the program and thankful for everyone who’s helped along the way.”