Girls volleyball: Humble Kaburov leaves legacy at Hersey

Like coach, like player.

Hersey's Kati Kaburov is one of most dominating hitters in Mid-Suburban League girls volleyball history.

Her coach Nancy Lill is one of the most dominating coaches in IHSA history.

Kaburov is known for her record-setting 1,381 kills at Hersey, Lill for her 1,007 wins, a number achieved by only four other coaches in state history.

But you know what else these two have in common?

They never knew or cared where they stood with their amazing numbers.

"I've never kept track of my kills, just like my coach never kept track of her wins," said the modest Kaburov, the 2019 Daily Herald Northwest Suburbs Girls Volleyball All-Area Team Captain for the second straight year.

"She just likes to coach and I just like to play. I'm more focused on playing for fun and she is more focused on coaching her players than how many wins."

Lill's husband Jamie didn't even know his wife was approaching 1,000 wins when Nancy hit the milestone during the penultimate week of the regular season.

Just like Kaburov was completely shocked when she was treated to a ceremony to celebrate breaking the school record after a match against Libertyville.

On that night, the Boston College recruit surpassed former Notre Dame standout Megan Fesl's previous record of 1,141 kills.

Six years ago, Fesl's mother Joanie was officiating one of Kaburov's matches at Thomas Middle School.

"Joanie gave me a heads up about Kati when she was going into eighth grade and I'll never forget it," Lill said. "She told me, you've got a kid coming in who is the real deal. She said she was kind of like Megan but smaller."

That smaller version of Fesl ended up with the biggest numbers of any attacker to play for Lill's elite program.

Kaburov would help lead the Huskies to four straight Mid-Suburban East crowns and three appearances in the title match, all against coach Curt Pinley's rising Fremd program.

"I think looking at her over and over again on film you just begin to see the kind of athlete she is and how she can take over a game," Pinley said. "So you're always trying to take that possibility away from her.

"Anytime you have an athlete on the opposing team you have to game plan for, you know you're facing someone who has an incredible skill set."

And much more.

"I think she is a fantastic individual as well," Pinley said. "And I know to go through the Hersey program and finishing with school records, then you're having a stellar career. Kati Kaburov is one of those exceptional players you don't see too often in your coaching career."

Lill, obviously, will attest to that.

She watched Kaburov slug 227 kills as a freshman, 326 as sophomore and more than 400 each of the past two seasons.

"What a special thing to be with Katie for four years," Lill said. "To have her share that 1,000th win and the 900th as a freshman has been a thrill.

"She's just that one in a million. You just don't get kids like her. I feel really blessed to have had her four years and excited to follow her future at Boston College."

Although she is currently undecided on a major, Kaburov said she may eventually to go into law.

For now, her court has been on the volleyball floor, where she never dreamed to become the school's all-time leader in attacks the same year her coach hit 1,000 wins.

"Isn't that kind of funny?" Kaburov said. "She is a great coach so I credit all my high school success to her. She is so awesome and she deserves every win she has gotten."

Just as Kaburov has.

"She is just a quality kid," Lill said. "The thing that is so striking about Kati is that with all the success she has had she is still the most humble individual you'll ever meet.

"She has worked tirelessly to keep improving her game. Not only at practice but off the court, too. She took lessons, pursued physical training, jump training and strength training to improve her game.

"And she is just a great team player, an outstanding captain who was so great at encouraging everyone on the team."