Nick Balaban
nbalaba@d115.org
Head, Girls' Varsity Basketball
Coach Balaban became the Head Girl’s Basketball Coach at Lake Forest High School in 2006. He is beginning his 20th year of coaching overall. Nick has played and coached at both the high school and collegiate levels. As a player, Nick was selected All-Conference while attending Oakton Community College and then finished his playing career at Northeastern Illinois University where he majored in Secondary Physical Education.  He began his coaching career as a women’s assistant coach at Northeastern Illinois.  While at Northeastern, the Golden Eagles finished in the Elite Eight of the NAIA National Finals. Nick then returned to his alma-mater, Gordon Tech High School in Chicago, where from the mid to late eighties he was an assistant with the boys' program, working under the late Hall of Fame coach, Steve Pappas. Nick then became the first Head Women’s Coach at Robert Morris College.  He also was a coach with the feeder program at Niles West High School.  Prior to coming to Lake Forest, Nick was the Assistant Varsity Girls’ Coach at Highland Park High School. For the past ten years Nick has been in private business.  Nick and his wife Sara reside in Round Lake and have four children.

Chuck Gress
cgress@d115.org
Assistant, Girls' Varsity Basketball
Coach Gress has coached every level of girls' basketball at LFHS (except Varsity Head) since 1992 and is looking forward to another successful season. He is a self-proclaimed gym rat, playing the game he loves at every opportunity. He has coached basketball for over 30 years. Chuck started coaching boys' basketball at Buffalo Grove High School, coaching freshmen through assistant varsity. His final year at BG (1984), the varsity team advanced to the supersectional game. After eight years in private industry, Coach Gress joined Lake Forest in 1992 and made the switch to girls' basketball. His two daughters were influential in that switch, because he coached their soccer, baseball and basketball teams throughout grammar school and junior high. Chuck received his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Loyola University and his Master's from Northeastern Illinois University. He teaches in the Math Department at LFHS.

Lester Long
Head, Girls' Sophomore Basketball
Coach Long has been coaching Sophomore Girls' Basketball since 1999. In addition, he coached Freshmen Boys' Basketball for 3 years, Varsity Boys' Basketball for 8 years, Freshmen Girls' Basketball for 12 years, Freshmen Boys' Soccer for 22 years and Varsity track for 19 years. Lester received his Bachelor's degree from McKendree College in Lebanon, IL.

Jay Kleeman
jkleema@d115.org
Assistant, Girls' Sophomore Basketball
Coach Kleeman has been coaching Sophomore Girls' Basketball since 2005. Prior to that, he worked with the feeder program. Jay received his Bachelor's Degree in Math/Education from Northeastern Illinois University and his Master's in Educational Leadership from Roosevelt University. He teaches in the Math Department at LFHS.

Ed Juergensen
ejuergensen@lfelem.lfc.edu
Head, Girls' Freshmen Basketball
2008 marks Coach Juergensen's first year as Head Girls' Freshmen Basketball Coach. Previous coaching experience includes 10 years coaching basketball at Deer Path Middle School--9 years coaching boys and 1 year coaching girls. Ed also coached for one year at Full Package Athletics. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education from Trinity International University and his Master's in Curriculum & Technology from the University of Phoenix. Coach Juergensen teaches in the Wellness Department at Deer Path Middle School.

Sara Kurtz
kurtz@ogschool.org
Assistant, Girls' Freshmen Basketball
2008 mark Coach Kurtz's first year as Assistant Girls' Freshmen Basketball Coach. Previously, she coached 8th grade basketball from 2004-2008 at Antioch Upper Grade School. Sara received her Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education from Carroll College. She teaches PE/Health at Oak Grove School.