Officials

Ray Piagentini

Year Inducted: 2003

Category: Officials

Schools / Organizations:

IHSA

Biography:

Ray Piagentini had officiated basketball games for 27 years at the time of his induction. He had worked 20 IHSA Regionals, 15 IHSA Sectionals, 5 IHSA Supersectionals and three IHSA state tournaments, including the Class AA championship game in 2002.

The Barrington native worked boys’ games in the Chicago Catholic League, Central Suburban League, Mid-Suburban League, East Suburban Catholic Conference, West Suburban Conference, Chicago Prep and Private leagues. His holiday tournament experience included events at Buffalo Grove, Chicago Clemente, Chicago St. Rita, Chicago Mount Carmel, Chicago Luther North, Elmhurst York, Wheeling, Elgin, Hillside Proviso West and Glenbard.

In girls’ basketball, Piagentini worked games for 10 years. He officiated mostly in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC), where he was named Man of the Year in 1989. He also worked five straight IHSA Sectional finals.

Piagentini’s proudest accomplishments are being a mentor for a number of officials in the Chicago area and training and observing them as they advance up the IHSA ladder. He helps coordinate summer clinics for officials. He also developed a program for more than 15 years that helped provide clothes, food and coats for the homeless in Chicago. He worked on a documentary regarding the plight of the homeless. He also was an assistant baseball coach at Barrington High School.