Perz comes back home to coach Carmel
Real estate agent Kelly Perz found a new home again for somebody.
That somebody is herself.
And that home is her old home.
The former Kelly Krombach, Perz, 28, has been hired by her high school alma mater, Carmel Catholic, to coach its girls basketball team. She replaces Ben Berg, who stepped down following two seasons to spend more time with his three young children. Berg's wife, Jen, succumbed to breast cancer last fall.
While Perz may not be a common last name at Carmel, the new coach's maiden name is. Kelly is the second oldest of five children of Bob and Mary Krombach of Grayslake. All five kids were successful athletes for the Corsairs.
Like older sister Colleen, Kelly excelled on both the volleyball and basketball courts. Brothers Mitch and Luke played offensive line for the football team, while Caitlin (Luke's twin) was a star basketball player.
"I guess they needed one of us (Krombachs) back," joked Perz, a 2000 Carmel graduate.
Perz has been working with her dad as a full-time real estate agent for Baird & Warner in Libertyville. She's also spent the last two years as an assistant coach for the Lake Forest College women's basketball team.
She and her husband, Nick, have a 13-month-old son, Owen.
"I'm going to be ratcheting back on real estate because that's somewhat time-consuming," Perz said. "I want to concentrate on coaching and raising my son, too."
Perz was a four-year letter winner for the St. Norbert College women's basketball team. She was named first team all-Midwest Conference as a senior after earning second team honors as a junior. She made the conference's all-academic team three times.
She served as the Green Knights' captain and was named their MVP her junior and senior seasons, helping St. Norbert win the conference championship and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament.
Perz spent one season as an assistant girls basketball coach at Pacelli High in Stevens Point, Wis., before taking an assistant coaching position under head coach Tamlyn Tills at Lake Forest College.
Perz also has experience coaching at the AAU level.
Lake Forest College and St. Norbert happen to be arch rivals.
"I kind of felt like I was going to the enemy," Perz said. "But I got over it pretty quickly. I loved the coach I worked for and the players. It was a great opportunity to get a chance to coach at a higher level."
Perz was trying to recruit Carmel senior Kristine Ruhl this past season when Berg, who was an assistant coach when Perz played at Carmel, mentioned to her that he would be stepping down.
She interviewed for the position about six weeks ago and just recently accepted Carmel's offer.
"She's very organized and very determined," Carmel athletic director Andy Bitto said. "She was a great player at the college level and has (coaching) experience at the college level. We're taking a little chance on her youth, but we're banking on her Carmel experience and her college experience as a player and coach."
Bitto thinks Perz's age will be a benefit, too, and Perz feels the same way.
Carmel went 14-16 this past season and graduates only a couple of regulars.
"I'm really excited," Perz said. "I think I'm going to be able to relate to the kids really well. Just because I've been there and done that."