The crowd waits in the loud gym, anticipating the game starting at any minute, as the varsity boys basketball team warms up and gets ready to play. This is their chance to advance to the Sectional finals for the first time since 1976. The crowd gets louder and louder as head varsity coach Corky Card collects his players from the court.

Raymond “Corky” Card has coached at Crystal Lake Central in the 1990s, Hannah Beardsley in Crystal Lake, 16 seasons at Prairie Ridge, and three seasons at Dunlap High School. He led his Prairie Ridge team to six Fox Valley Championships, five Regionals, and one Sectional Championship. Card may have experience and graduated from Crystal Lake Central, but he was very familiar with the McHenry town and community.

Card feels honored and excited to work with the program that the athletic department has built and is looking forward to taking the next step on the program’s journey to be successful.

“McHenry is everything you look for as an educator and basketball coach,” said Card. “It’s a proud community that values hard work and supports athletics, while also having a board and administration that has the passion and vision for not only investing in cutting edge learning environments, but also a commitment to building the best athletic facilities in the state.”

Card decided to come back to this area and said that McHenry was a great opportunity to be teaching and coaching.

“My father was a teacher and coach when I was growing up,” he said. “I played 3 sports in high school and loved being a part of sports and being a part of a team.”

Chris Madson, who is finishing his first year as athletic director for MCHS, was in charge of hiring a new coach for the boys varsity basketball team.

“Coach Card had not only an established record of success,” said Madson, “but his passion and drive for coaching and building relationships with his players, coaches, parents, and community was extremely clear and transparent.”

Madson also said that Card came in and made a dramatic impact. He is very motivating, making sure that they are going to be their best. Card’s first season as a McHenry coach was a huge success. Card’s impact has changed many mindsets of all the players and coaching staff.

Hayden Stone — who moved to McHenry his sophomore year and has been on varsity ever since — said how three years on varsity gave him lots of experience and how he built tons of relationships.

“Coach Card really helped me experience winning and aided me in parts of basketball that I struggled in,” said Stone. “He made this last year very enjoyable and gave me some good core memories.”

Card’s most exciting part of his first season here at McHenry was winning the Regional at Jacobs. It is safe to say that this season has been very successful.

You are leaving the loud gym after the game has ended. Everyone around you is so happy and runs onto the court to give congrats to the Warriors for advancing to the Sectional finals for the first time in 47 years.