STAFF

Rich Falk, Ike Johnson, Byron Young, Jeff Hippen, Geoff Falk

DIVISION HEADS

Ike Johnson

Coach Johnson has been with the Rich Falk Basketball Camp for 32 years and runs the College Division, which is for the kids in the middle age range.  Ike began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach and Sophomore Coach at Rockford Auburn High School where he coached from 1968-1976.  In 1977, he became the Varsity Basketball Coach at Rockford East High School.  Over the next 13 seasons, his teams won six Regional Championships, two Sectional Championships, one SuperSectional Championship, and had one team that finished fourth in the state.  Coach Johnson received several Conference and one District Coach of the Year awards.

Ike graduated in 1968 with a B.S. in Education from Northern Illinois University, where he was a three year varsity basketball player.  In 1972, he received his M.S. in Education from Indiana State University.  He spent a total of 35 years as a high school teacher.  Coach Johnson and his wife, Vivian, have been married for 44 years and have three sons.

Jeff Hippen

Coach Hippen has been with the Rich Falk Basketball Camp for the last 31 years. He runs the High School Division, which is for the youngest and smallest kids in camp. Jeff worked as an Assistant Basketball Coach at Prophetstown High School and Sterling High School. After several years as a math teacher at Sterling High School, he became the Director of Technology for the Sterling School District.

The Chadwick, IL native began his college basketball career at Eastern Illinois University. He transferred to Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Jeff graduated from SIU-Edwardsville in 1987 with a B.S. in Mathematics. In 2004, he received his M.S. in Education Administration from Western Illinois University. He and his wife, of 26 years, Kris, have three sons.

Byron Young

Coach Young has been with the Rich Falk Basketball Camp for 18 years and runs the Pro Division, which is for the oldest kids in camp. Byron served for two years as an Assistant Coach at Wayne State College in Nebraska and two years as an Assistant Coach at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, IL.  He has been the Head Basketball Coach at Black Hawk College-East Campus in Kewanee, IL since 1996. 

Byron received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wayne State College earning his B.S. in Education/Recreation in 1991 and his M.S. in Athletic Administration in 1994. In addition to his 18 years with the Rich Falk Basketball Camp, Coach Young has worked numerous camps including Gene Keady’s Basketball Camp and the Wildcat Basketball Camp at Wayne State College.