La Salle-Peru boys basketball coach Jim Cherveny resigns

After 12 years leading the La Salle-Peru boys basketball program, Jim Cherveny has decided to step away.

He has submitted his resignation, and it’s on the agenda for Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting along with the resignation of assistant coaches John Riva, Randy Koehler and Jens Soderholm.

“I thought there was no better time than now,” Cherveny said. “I spent a lot of time talking to my wife, my best friends and my coaches. My children continue to get older, and I feel it’s time to be a dad, and I’m really looking forward to that. I know I can be both dad and coach, but I’ve put a lot of time and effort and dedication into the program to help it grow and try to improve it every single year. When you try to improve something you care so much about, you keep putting more time and effort into it.

“The amount of time I’ve been putting into it has taken away from my family, so I’m really looking forward to being around my girls and being around my wife. My wife has been really supportive. She’s been great running our girls around. I want to start doing that stuff with her.”

Cherveny led the Cavaliers to a 161-164 record and two regional championships in 12 seasons.

“We’re happy with where we’re at,” Cherveny said. “We’re happy as a staff with what we’ve achieved along the way. We think we’re leaving the program in a really good spot.

“Our vision was to make sure the kids are growing into responsible young adults and preparing them for life after high school. That’s our whole mission, and we did that through the game of basketball. We volunteered outside the program. We tried to make being an L-P basketball player mean you’re part of something bigger than yourself.”

Next season, L-P will return three starters, including All-Interstate 8 Conference forward Josh Senica.

“The new coach coming in will have a really talented group of kids who are hard working,” Cherveny said. “They’ve got great attitudes. They’ve got great, supportive parents. We’ve got a great fan base. I think anybody coming in here is very lucky to take on this role.

“I wish nothing but the best for the next coach.”

Cherveny said he and his assistant coaches made their decisions independently.

“I’ve had a great coaching experience and great coaching staffs throughout my tenure,” Cherveny said. “I’ve had great guys to work with. I couldn’t have asked for better staffs.

“For several years now, I always ask those guys for just one more year. This year I said, ‘You know, if you want to stay one more year, it’s completely up to you guys. I don’t know if I have one more year.’ They made their own personal decisions.”

Cherveny, who has previously served as L-P’s girls golf coach and remains the school’s bass fishing sponsor, said he may coach again down the road.

“I don’t think coaching is out of my future,” said Cherveny, who will remain the division chair for physical education, health and driver’s education at L-P. “My kids are little. They’ll be older someday. Things change, so I’m not completely ruling out a return in the future if the opportunity presents itself.

“Right now, I’m very happy and content where I’m at, but I’ll always have a special place in my heart for coaching at L-P.”