Coaching Staff
Varsity Head Coach - Brian Zyrkowski
Coach Zyrkowski is entering his 8th year on the Libertyville Wildcat Staff. During his time at LHS, Coach Z served as a Sophomore Coach for 6 years and is now entering his 2nd year as the Varsity Head Coach. Prior to joining LHS, he served as the Freshmen Boys' Basketball Coach at Conant High School for 3 years. Coach Z has been coaching basketball for 18 years ranging from High School, Feeder, and the AAU level. Coach Z graduated from Conant High School and played 2 years of basketball at Harper College. He then went on to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign where he received his bachelor's degree. He also has a master's degree in school leadrship from Concordia University. Coach Z is a math teacher at LHS and is excited for the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of our LHS student-athletes.
Varsity Assistant Coach - Rick Kolze
Coach Kozle is entering his 6th year on the Libertyville Wildcat Staff. Coach Kolze was the varsity boy's assistant basketball coach at Washington High School in Chicago for 3 years before joining the LHS staff where he has coached at the sophomore and varsity level during his tenure. Coach Kolze graduated from Fremd High School where he went on to attend Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa where he played basketball. At Loras, Rick was part of 2 NCAA Tournament appearances and 2 Conference Championships. Coach Kolze works here at LHS in the Special Services Department.
Varsity Assistant Coach - Jonathan Malats
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Coach Malats is entering his 9th year coaching at LHS. He's coached at the feeder, freshmen, and sophomore levels for the last 14 years and is also our strength and conditioning coach. He played his high school basketball in Luxembourg (Europe) and was a Student Assistant/Manager for DePaul University's Men's Basketball Program from 2004-2007. Coach Malats graduated from DePaul in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in education/history and works as a Fitness and Nutritional Coach.
Sophomore Head Coach - Jeff Heiden
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Coach Heiden is entering his 4th year coaching at LHS. Jeff is a 2008 graduate of Prospect High School. He was All-Conference and an All-Area guard for Prospect his senior year. After high school, Jeff continued his playing career at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he earned All-Conference honors his senior year. He then went on to be an assistant at the varsity level with the Prospect Boys Basketball Program before he began his coaching tenure at LHS.
Sophomore Assistant Coach - John Mortillaro
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Coach Mortillaro is entering his sixth year as a school counselor at LHS and 16th year of coaching high school basketball. He coached at Loyola Academy as a Head Freshman, Head Sophomore and Varsity Assistant. He also coached at Stevenson High School as a Sophomore and Varsity Assistant before coming to LHS where he has worked at all levels of the program as an Assistant Coach. Coach Mortillaro received his bachelor's degree from Marquette University and his master's degree from National Louis University.
Freshmen A Head Coach - Jimmy Ori
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Coach Ori is in his third year coaching at LHS. Prior to joining the Wildcat Family, Coach Ori was an assistant sophomore and varsity coach at Highland Park High School and also coached their youth travel teams. Coach Ori graduated from Highland Park High School, where he lettered 2 years on the varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams. He attended the University of Kansas and received a bachelor's degree in communications. Following 5 years in sales for a logistics company in Chicago, he went back to school to earn a degree in Physical Education and Health from North Park University. Coach Ori currently teaches Early Childhood Elementary PE at District 112 in Highland Park and is also an assistant football and baseball coach at LHS.
Freshmen B Head Coach - Sean Matthews
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Coach Matthews is entering his third year in the boys basketball program. He began his basketball coaching career here at LHS in 1989 and took time off in 2004. He is a 1981 LHS graduate. Coach Matthews received his BA from Carthage College where he lettered in basketball, tennis, and golf, and received his master's in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University. Coach Matthews is married to Lisa, another 1981 LHS graduate and they have 2 children who also graduated from LHS, Ellis (2012) and Sloane (2013). Coach Matthews' parents were also LHS graduates, Bob (1949) and Janet (1951).