Greg Herman is longtime swim, diving coach at LHS
• The following is part of an ongoing series of articles in celebration of Libertyville High School's 100th anniversary.
Greg Herman is a longtime Libertyville High School boys and girls swimming and diving head coach. He was also a 1975 LHS graduate and a top swimmer for the Wildcats.
Herman'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 Herman graduated from LHS, he held four school records, was a team captain, and was voted Most Valuable.
Following his LHS graduation, Herman left for Wheaton College. He chose Wheaton for its academics, religion, 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 Herman earn a degree in biology at Wheaton, he gained a love for the technical and physiological aspects of the sport of swimming that made him want a coaching position.
He got a teaching job right out of college at LHS in the fall of 1979, teaching chemistry and biology his first two years before switching to just biology. He began teaching human physiology in the late 1990s. He took over the science department chair position for the 2004-05 school year from Pat Somers.
Herman 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 coaching position for the 1984 season.
During his 21 years as head coach of the boys program, Herman had a 114-58 record, winning two conference titles and two sectional titles. His 1992 team placed eighth in state and placed 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, Herman had a 115-51 record, with four conference titles and two sectional titles. He coached multi-All-Staters Jennifer Cohen, Karen Rancourt and Heather Kiluk. He coached his daughter, Casey, who became an All-State diver in 2005.
After stepping out of coaching to take on the science department chair position, Herman was asked to fill in as girls head coach for the 2008 season for a maternity leave. Following the 2008 season, Herman remained on the LHS swimming staff as a girls assistant coach. He retired from teaching after the 2016 school year.
In addition to his girls coaching, he has gone back into the boys program this season as well.
"I get as much satisfaction from introducing the sport to a new, competitive swimmer as I can from working with a state champion," Herman said.