Pitcher at home on courts

The daughter of a Pitcher kept firing away.

"My 4-year-old likes to talk and talk and ask questions," Billy Pitcher said, as his daughter Morgan repeatedly asked him questions while he did a phone interview this week.

Maybe Morgan gets her desire to learn from her daddy.

Recently named the new boys basketball at Lake Zurich, where he replaces longtime coach John Zarr, who retired, Pitcher boasts a basketball resume that's full of variety.

The 30-year-old - who also has a 1-year-old girl, Payton, with his wife, Liz - has spent the last six years at Libertyville as an assistant coach. His experience also includes being a member of the Southern Illinois University women's practice squad when he was a student there.

"It was great because I got to see a college practice every day and saw a lot of different drills," Pitcher said. "And Bruce Weber was coaching (the men's team) so I got to see what they did. It was a really good experience."

The job came with another perk, too.

"They gave us free shoes and shirts, so that was great," Pitcher said with a laugh.

Pitcher is a graduate of Normal Community High School, where he played varsity golf and basketball for three seasons each. And, no, even with a last name like Pitcher, he wasn't a baseball guy in high school, playing the sport only his freshman year.

While attending SIU, Pitcher got his first taste of coaching basketball, as he served as a varsity assistant while doing his student-teaching at Belleville East. He coached one year at Elk Grove under Steve Messer, whom he considers a mentor, before coming to Libertyville.

Soon after Pitcher completed his third season as the freshman boys coach - he also was the head girls golf coach - he heard about the Lake Zurich opening and inquired about it.

He will teach business at Lake Zurich, as well.

"The Lake Zurich situation was just real appealing to me and something I felt would be a good fit," said Pitcher, noting the similarities between Lake Zurich and Libertyville, including school size and the fact that both compete in the North Suburban Conference.

"There were a lot of parallels that made me comfortable and confident that I could have success (at Lake Zurich)."

Pitcher takes over a program that endured its worst season ever under Zarr, as the Bears went just 3-24. Pitcher got his first look at his new team this week and was impressed.

"It's been going great," Pitcher said. "All the seniors showed up Monday, and that was an optional day. That was a good show of leadership by those guys.

"The kids are very enthusiastic about everything. They're fired up. They've been very coachable, polite and respectful."

Lake Zurich's new coach is a proponent of man-to-man defense, which Zarr also employed.

"That's my base philosophy, defensively," Pitcher said. "We'll have some different looks and different traps that they didn't do, but primarily it will be the same stuff."

Pitcher has liked what he's seen this week from several players, including incoming seniors Mike Boyd, Colin Rathe and 6-foot-7 Drake Orser and incoming junior Mirko Grcic.

"There's a lot of talent," Pitcher said. "There's a good foundation there."

Grayslake Central tabs Ikenn: Grayslake Central has named former Stevenson assistant Steve Ikenn its new girls basketball coach.

Ikenn, who has coached for 23 years, replaces Roger Lass, who stepped down following three seasons.

Vernon Hills' Weber resigns: Paul Weber has resigned as Vernon Hills' softball coach after six seasons.

The Cougars finished 17-19 this spring.