Rick Splitt-  Defensive Coordinator

This is Coach Splitt’s 28 th year coaching high school football and his 7th year at Cary-Grove High School. Prior to coaching at Cary-Grove, Coach Splitt coached at Palatine High School where he was the Defensive Coordinator for multiple years and then Head Coach his final 4 years. Coach Splitt is a 1989 graduate of Carmel High School, Mundelein where he was an All-State baseball player and an All-Area football player.  He is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois (‘94), where he played centerfield for the Golden Eagles. Coach Splitt is married to his wife Kristen and has four children, Jason, Carly, Nathan, and Toby, who are graduates of Cary-Grove High School.

Phil Raffaelli-  Fullbacks/Special Teams Coordinator

This is Coach Raffaelli’s 18th year at Cary-Grove. Prior to coming to CG, Coach Raffaelli, a Northeastern Illinois graduate, was on the football staff at Stevenson High School for 27 years.  He served on the Varsity staff for 25 of those years. While at Stevenson, he also coached Boy’s and Girl’s basketball, Boy’s and Girl’s track and JV softball. Coach Raffaelli retired from Stevenson in 2005. Coach Raffaelli has been married to his wife Nancy for 45 years and has two daughters, Katie and Laurie, both CG graduates who are currently teachers in Huntley. Phil and Nancy are Grandparents to their Grandson Evan and Granddaughters Ashlyn, Annie and Sophie.

Ryan Passaglia-  Slots

Coach Passaglia is starting his 26th season coaching football and baseball at Cary-Grove.  He is a CG grad ('94), having played football for Coach Bruce Kay and baseball under Coach Don Sutherland.  Both of them have been tremendous mentors for him.  Coach Passaglia was named All-Conference and MVP in football and All-Conference and Captain in baseball his senior year.  Coach Passaglia graduated from North Central College in 1998 having played both football and baseball for the Cardinals.  Named All-Conference in both sports during his tenure, he was also named to the All-Century team as a linebacker in football and All-Region in baseball his senior year.  It was always Coach Passaglia's dream to be able to return to Cary-Grove and give back to the school he so loved attending.  He is beyond blessed that that dream became a reality and continues to enjoy his time educating here, to this day.  Coach Passaglia also serves as the Head Baseball Coach.  Coach Passaglia is married to his wife Amy, and has three kids Lauren, Derek, and Kailyn.

Eric Chandler-  Quarterbacks

Coach Chandler enters his 10th season coaching at Cary-Grove. He graduated from Augustana College ('14) where he was a two-time All-Conference running back for the Vikings. Coach Chandler is a Cary-Grove graduate ('10) and played fullback, earning All-Conference and All-Area honors. Coach Chandler is married to his wife, Nancy, and has one daughter, Layna. 

Mike Manning-  Offensive Line

Coach Manning is an alumni of Cary-Grove High School and has been on the staff since the 2001 season.  He has coached the Offensive Line since the 2011 season.  Prior to that he coached Defensive Line from 2007-2010 and spent six seasons coaching at the Frosh-Soph level.  Coach Manning is married to his wife Kim and has two kids - Kennedy and Mikey. 

Adam Valiga-  Tight Ends/Split Ends

Coach Valiga will be entering his 3rd season coaching at Cary-Grove.  He is a graduate of Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, IL where he was a member of the football team.  Coach Valiga also played tight end in college, first for the College of Dupage, and then Eastern Kentucky University.  He is also the Head Lacrosse Coach at Cary-Grove. 

Mike Walston-  Cornerbacks

Coach Walston has been coaching football for 31 years at Cary Grove and 41 years overall. He has coached at various schools, including Schaumburg High School from 1989 to 1992 and Conant High School from 1983 to 1988. He also has experience coaching wrestling for 20 years, track for 18 years, and gymnastics for 6 years. Coach Walston is a graduate of James B. Conant High School, where he was a three-sport athlete for all four years. He was a team captain and MVP in football, an All-Area football player, an All-Conference wrestler, and a two-time state qualifier and MVP in track. He was also named male athlete of the year. Coach Walston attended Harper College, where he played football, wrestled, and ran track. He graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1983, where he played football on a partial scholarship. Coach Walston has been married to his wife Mary Ellen for 39 years and has a son named Bob.

Dean Schlueter-  Defensive Line

This is Coach Schlueter's 46th season coaching high school football and his 15th season at Cary-Grove where he has been the Trojans' defensive line coach for 14 years. Prior to coaching at C-G, he was the head coach at Jacobs for 13 years.  Coach Schlueter spent one year coaching at Loves Park Harlem before coaching at Jacobs.  From 1980 until 1995, he returned to coach at his alma mater, Rockford East, and he was head coach there from 1989-1995. He started his coaching career in 1979 at Crystal Lake South.  Coach Schlueter is a 1979 graduate of Augustana College where he played football for four years and also ran track.  He is also a graduate of Rockford East High School and played quarterback on the 1974 State Championship team.  It was the first season that the IHSA held state playoffs for football.  He earned All-Area and All-Conference honors in football during his senior year.  He also ran track and played baseball in high school.  Coach Schlueter is married to his wife, Diane. 

Chris Liggett-  Defensive Line

This is Coach Liggett’s 13th year on the football staff at Cary-Grove. He is a graduate of Cary-Grove (‘94) where he was a three-sport athlete for all four years. Coach Liggett attended Quincy University after high school where he studied Sports Medicine. After attending Quincy University, he had a successful career in the Fire Service serving as a Firefighter and Paramedic. After retiring from the Fire Service, he now works as a Paraeducator at CG. Coach Liggett is married to his wife Julie and they have a dog named Sam.

Matt Sutherland-  Safeties

Coach Sutherland enters his 4th season coaching at Cary-Grove. He has spent the last 3 seasons as the Head Coach for the Frosh-Soph team. Prior to that, he spent one season at Conant High School as the offensive coordinator. Coach Sutherland is a North Central College graduate ('19) where he started at defensive back for the football team and infield for the baseball team. He is a Cary-Grove graduate ('15) where he played slot and defensive back, earning All-Conference and All-Area honors. He also is an assistant varsity baseball coach at C-G. 

Lenny Radtke-  Head Frosh-Soph

This is Coach Radtke's 2nd season coaching at Cary-Grove. He also coaches Lacrosse. He graduated from Glenbard North High School (2002), where he played baseball and football. He played four years of football at North Central College. Coach Radtke earned his master's degree from National Louis University and teaches Special Education. Coach Radtke is married to his wife, Kaitlyn, and has two children, Leo and Ben. 

Mike Suyko-  Frosh-Soph Defense

Coach Mike Suyko begins his 3rd season on the staff at Cary-Grove. Prior to starting at the C-G, he coached multiple youth sports, including football the last 16 years for the Cary Junior Trojans. Coach Suyko went to Argo Community High School (’90) where he was named Team MVP by leading his team in yards, touchdowns and tackles his senior year. Mike then graduated from Carthage College in 1995 earning a varsity letter as a linebacker in all 4 years, voted as team captain his senior year and then assisted the staff at defensive line as a GA. Coach Suyko married his college sweetheart Aimee Maurer Suyko and has three children - Ainslie, Parker and Colin all 2020 Cary-Grove graduates.

Mike Dunker-  Frosh-Soph Offense

This will be Coach Dunker’s 3 rd year coaching football at Cary-Grove and his 25th year coaching high school football. Previously he coached at Crystal Lake South and Marengo.  Coach Dunker retired in 2011 after spending 25 years as a counselor in D155. Coach Dunker graduated from Marengo High School where he was All-Conference in football, basketball, and baseball. He attended Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois. He was a 4-year letter winner in both football and basketball and selected All-District Tight End his last three years. Coach Dunker has been married to his wife Sharon for 46 years and they have five children, Matt, Lisa, Iesha, Maurice and Marco. They are also grandparents of Kara, Jackson, Kailey, Cayson and Emerson.