Stephanie Kezios, a social studies teacher and former head volleyball coach at Elk Grove High School, was named the new girls athletic director. 

With her coaching experience, Kezios said she hopes to put a great effort in her new position, and to support the efforts of every one of Elk Grove High’s student athletes.

“I really missed being around Elk Grove High School athletics,” said Kezios. 

Having not partaken any athletic activities for a year — she stepped down from her volleyball coaching position before the school year started — she sought out a new professional challenge.

Kezios is no stranger to the athletic landscape at EGHS. She was a boys track and field coach from 2008 to 2010, the assistant girls volleyball coach from 2007 to 2009, and then she stepped into the varsity girls volleyball role from 2010 to 2019.

Kezios resigned from the position as a varsity coach after planning on moving to Italy to expand on her educational career by the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic had shut down those plans to move to Europe.

After that same school year, Robert Murphy, the previous main athletic director, had left his position to become the principal of Friendship Junior High School in Des Plaines. 

This led to Terry Beyna, the boys athletic director, to take the athletic director positions for both boys and girls departments, all while Jackie Randall, the former girls athletic director, stepped into Murphy’s role.

Now with her new position in athletics, Kezios said she hopes to maintain her presence in both the classroom and athletic realms.

“I have to learn how to balance my commitment both in the classroom, and in the athletic departments to create a positive atmosphere in both arenas,” Kezios said.

Kezios said she a set of personal plans and philosophies towards helping the school’s athletes. So far, she said she aims to enlist student-athletes who demonstrate hard work, competitiveness and good sportsmanship.

“I want to continue to build a culture of hard work and good sportsmanship in our athletic community,” Kezios said. She also said she wants to foster meaningful relationships with the athletes, their families, and the coaching staff.

In addition, Kezios also said she wants the school’s student-athletes to carry what they’ve learned from their athletic experiences into their lives after high school.

“I expect to implement many new ideas while simultaneously supporting the growth of the many existing successful athletic efforts already in place,” Kezios said.