Steve Kish returns to Waubonsee for the 2024 season after two years at the College of Lake County. Prior to that Kish guided the Chiefs' volleyball program for a decade before temporarily retiring from coaching after the 2021 season. Immediately upon his 2012 arrival in Sugar Grove he turned around Waubonsee's program. Prior to his arrival, Chiefs' volleyball had only four winning seasons in the previous 17 years. In just his second season Kish's 2013 team equaled the school record for wins in a season set in 1994 by going 35-8 overall, with all their losses coming to four nationally-ranked teams. The following year his squad captured the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) title for the first time ever, going undefeated (10-0) along the way. Waubonsee went on to grab the Region 4 Division II District B title for the first time and earn a berth in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona. Kish’s crew placed 14th nationally, finishing 35-16 overall to again tie the school record for wins in a season. Kish was accordingly named the ISCC and Region 4 District B Coach of the Year. From 2014 through 2019 his teams reached the Region 4 Championship match each year, also winning the crown in 2019 to advance to the National Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia. In 2015 Kish became the fastest Waubonsee coach in any sport to reach 100 career wins. Under his tutelage the Chiefs went 48-8 in ISCC action over his last eight years, including winning another ISCC title in 2018. 

Kish graduated from Aurora (IL.) East High School in 1992 and attended Waubonsee for two years. Later on he coached and developed the youth volleyball program for the Fox Valley Park District. He has also played competitively over the years at Sports Performance – Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. Kish has also played in EVP affiliated tournaments at Chicago’s North Beach and Montrose Harbor, at Bowling Green Sports Center in West Chicago, and other locations throughout the area. Well known throughout the local club volleyball landscape, Kish has coached at both the youth and high school level, and currently coaches at Cyclones Volleyball Club in Aurora. In addition, he was accepted into USA Volleyball’s High Performance Coaching Program in 2016.

Away from the court, he has worked in the audio and video industry for 20 years, and is currently a Senior Associate for Mead and Hunt in Madison, Wisconsin. Kish holds a certification in USAV’s Impact course, as well as a USAV CAP I and CAP II certification. He currently lives in Yorkville and has three children, Erica, Austin and Bailey, who was a member of the Chiefs’ men’s soccer team in 2017.

Steve Kish's Record at Waubonsee

2012               10-16                                                4-5          5th place

2013               35-8                                                  6-1          2nd place    

2014               35-16     **Region Champs          10-0         **ISCC Champs          Nationals  0-2     (13th nationally)

2015               25-15     Region Runner-up          8-2          2nd place      

2016               27-17     Region Runner-up          5-2          3rd place    

2017               25-17     Region Runner-up          4-1          2nd place   

2018               24-16     Region Runner-up          6-0         **ISCC Champs    

2019               24-17     **Region Champs          6-1         2nd place                     Nationals  0-2     (13th nationally)

2021 Spring       9-5                                               3-1         2nd place          **Abbreviated season due to Covid pandemic

2021 Fall        23-10     Region Final Four          7-0          **ISCC Champs  

2024                 5-13                                                4-2                                          

11 seasons     (242-150)                                 (63-15)