Hall of Fame
Greg Herman
LHS Swimmer and Coach
Greg Herman is a long time lHS boys and girls swimming and diving head coach. He was also a 1975 LHS graduate and a top swimmer for the Wildcats.
Greg's family came to Libertyville for his junior year. With a background in swimming, joining the LHS team made the transition to Libertyville much easier. By the time Greg graduated from LHS he held four school records, was a team captain, and was voted the team's Most Valuable Award.
Following his LHS graduation, Greg left for Wheaton College. He chose Wheaton for their academics, for the religious foundation and for a chance to continue his swimming career. He finished his career with a CCIW All-Conference honor in the 50 yard freestyle.
Not only did Greg earn a degree in biology in Wheaton, he gained a love for the technical and physiological aspects of the sport of swimming that made him want a coaching position in the sport.
He got a teching job right ou fo college at LHS in the fall of 1979, teaching chemistry and biology his first two years before moving to switching to strictly biology. He began teaching human physiology in the late 1990's. He took over the science department chair position for the 2004-05 school year from the retiring Pat Somers.
Greg began coaching swimming his third year at LHS as an assistant to Laurie McKenzie in the girls program. He became the girls head coach for the 1986 season. He took over the boys' head cocahing position for the 1984 season.
During his 21 years as head coach of the girls' program, Greg had a 115-51 record with four conference titles and two sectional titles. His 1992 team placed eight in state, ninth in 1993. He coached state champions Randy Redrick (1992, 1993) and Eric Van Goethem (1995, 1996) as well as the 1992 state champion 200 freestyle relay team.
During his 19 years as head coach of the girls' program, Greg had a 115-51 record with four conference titles and two sectional titles. He coached multi All-State swimmers Jennifer Cohen, Karen Rancourt, and Heather Kiluk. He coached his daughter Casey, an All-State diver in 2005.
After stepping out of coaching to take on the science department chair psition, Greg was asked to fill in as girls head coach for the 2008 season for a maternity leave. Following the 2008 season, Greg remained on the LHS swimming staff as a girls' assistant coach. He retired from teaching after the 2016 school year. In his retirement Greg has gone back into the boys' program last season as well as the girls, both positions being assistant coaching positions. Greg said; "I get as much satisfaction from introduction the sport to a new competitive swimmer as I can from working with a state champion."
