Kirkorsky takes charge of Grens
When he was a senior at Buffalo Grove High School in 1991, Ryan Kirkorsky got the chance to coach an eighth grade girls basketball team at St. Mary's School in Buffalo Grove.
This week, Kirkorsky found himself in charge of a high school girls basketball team.
Kirkorsky has been named the varsity coach at Elk Grove, where he replaces Jim Wills.
His experience 17 years ago at St. Mary and a teacher by the name of John Erfort at Buffalo Grove are two big reasons Kirkorsky is taking over a varsity program.
"I got that job at St. Mary about midway through the season when the coach had to leave because of illness," Kirkorsky said. "That's where I got the itch to want to coach."
Kirkorsky's main influence to be a teacher and coach was Erfort, the IHSA Hall of Fame coach who directed BG's 1988 state soccer champs.
"He was my sophomore basketball coach and English teacher at Buffalo Grove," Kirkorsky said. "He was kind of was my mentor."
Kirkorsky played football, baseball and basketball as a freshman and sophomore at Buffalo Grove.
He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1996, student taught at Rolling Meadows and began teaching at Larkin High School.
He joined the English department at Elk Grove in 2000.
Kirkorsky served as the junior varsity girls basketball coach his first two years, then the sophomore coach the last six.
Wills won 69 of 169 games and got the Grenadiers to two regional title games.
"I'll definitely start with a defensive mindset," he said. "We'll stress fundamentals on all levels."
The Grenadiers return several players, including all-area forward Ashley Capotosto.
"I'm very excited," Kirkorsky said. "Since my senior year of high school I knew I wanted to be a head coach."
Elk Grove girls athletic director Jon Rowley made the announcement in the middle of last week.
"I think Ryan is a good hire for our program," Rowley said. "He has been in it for eight seasons. He does a real nice job and I think he'll be ready to go with the girls next winter."