New Bolingbrook High School Girls Basketball Coach Ready to Keep 'Rich Tradition' Going

Chris Smith is officially Bolingbrook High School's new girls varsity basketball head coach. 

The Valley View School District 365U school board approved Smith's hiring Monday. Smith, a Bolingbrook resident, has served as an assistant coach at Joliet Catholic Academy and two-time state champion Montini Catholic High School in Lombard. Smith has also coached with the Bolingbrook Panthers for 14 years, coaching Ariel Massengale and Morgan Tuck. 

"Ariel Massengale thinks very highly of him," BHS Athletic Director Rob Rose told the Bolingbrook Reporter. "He helped turn around a Joliet Catholic program that didn't have a lot of success before he got there."

Smith inherits one of the state’s top girls basketball programs from former coach Tony Smith, who guided the Lady Raiders to seven straight downstate appearances including four state championships, two seconds and a fourth place. Smith announced he was leaving the BHS program in the spring to coach at Homewood-Flossmoor.

"I'm excited. I'm looking forward to it," Smith told the Bolingbrook Reporter. "It's a rich tradition here and I look to keep it going. Yes, we're going to have some rebuilding to do, but I'm looking forward to the challenge and keeping the tradition going."

Smith is a graduate of Bradley University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. He is a sales professional, with experience as a Senior Marketing Service Representative and Contract Specialist for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, an Account Specialist for MetLife, and a claims examiner for UniCare Life and Health.

Editor's note: This press release was submitted by Valley View School District 365U.