Officials

Jim Czocher

Year Inducted: 2002

Category: Officials

Schools / Organizations:
IHSA, NCAA, NJCAA

Biography: 

Jim Czocher of Sugar Grove is a native of Chicago’s west side. He played football at (Chicago) St. Phillip High School and Northern Illinois University.

Czocher had teaching and coaching stops at Gurnee Warren, Streamwood, West Aurora, Schaumburg and the College of DuPage.

He was an IHSA basketball official for 32 years at the time of his induction. He had worked 10 IHSA Regionals, four Sectionals and the IHSA Class AA boys’ state tournaments in 1985 and 1986. He got the call for the 1986 championship game as Chicago King beat Olympia Fields Rich Central 47-40.

In 1985, Czocher began working junior college and NCAA Division II and III games. Czocher also received Division I assignments in the Missouri Valley, Mid-Continent, Mid-American, Conference USA and Big Ten. He worked three Division III regional finals and 10 junior college regional finals. He made four National Invitational Tournament (NIT) appearances and six conference tournament appearances.

Czocher is the founder and owner of the Roundball Officials Clinic for 11 years, which instructs individuals in the fundamentals of basketball officiating.