Czeslawski, 29, reached his goal this week of becoming a head coach before the age of 30. The 1994 Crystal Lake Central graduate was named that school's new boys basketball coach. Central athletic director Doug Blundy also announced that Mendy Benson had been hired as the Tigers' new girls basketball coach.

Benson was hired for one of the few open teaching positions, to teach Spanish. Czeslawski already works at the school as the building computer coordinator.

Czeslawski has coached at every level in the Tigers' program and has "15 years of orange and black" in his closet. He takes over for Aaron Perkins, who resigned earlier this month after four seasons as head coach. Czeslawski served as head sophomore coach this season.

"It's good to go back to a school where I played and a school I love," Czeslawski said. "As a head coach, you have to learn all the little intricacies, and you have to make the final decision. I've been lucky to be in a lot of different roles the last 11 years."

Czeslawski coached AAU teams in Arizona while attending college, worked at Central, then two years at Judson College with former Central coach Jim Condill, then came back to Central.

Benson, 30, played for a state championship in Kenai Central (Alaska) in high school. She was a forward on four of Oregon's NCAA tournament teams in college.

The last six seasons Benson has been head coach at Chaparral High School in Parker, Colo., which opened six years ago. She also coached as an assistant at Utah for one season.

Benson takes over a program that has produced a combined record of 3-81 the last three seasons, although junior Jessica Mason, the Tigers' leading scorer, returns, and coaches around the Fox Valley Conference think Central is a team on its way up.

"The AD and principal [Steve Olson] were very straightforward with me about where they've been and where they could go," Benson said. "You can do so much for kids when you come in and try to turn a situation around. It's a great opportunity and a great challenge."

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