Three years proved to be too much time away for Loyola Academy’s former head football coach John Holecek, who will return to lead the Ramblers next season, according to a Tuesday news release from the Wilmette high school.
Beau Desherow, a ’93 graduate of Loyola and the current head coach of the varsity team, will take on the role of assistant head coach and general manager of the football program, per the school’s announcement.
For the past three seasons, Desherow has led the program with a 30-7 game record, including ushering the team into back-to-back Illinois High School Association (IHSA) 8A State Championships in 2024 and 2023.
Holecek returns to the position after leading the team from 2006 to 2022, garnering an impressive 185-36 game record over the course of 17 seasons. During his tenure with the Ramblers, the team achieved seven IHSA 8A State Finals and three championships, including qualifying for the playoffs every season.
“He’s a transformative leader, not only as a coach on the field, in the game, and how he coaches, but just in the way he elevates everyone around him,” said Genevieve Atwood, Loyola Academy’s vice president for athletics.
“He’s extremely focused on using football as a classroom to develop young men into the best people they can possibly be,” Atwood told the Pioneer Press.
More Top Picks Best New Balance Shoes For Flat Feet
Atwood said it “became known” internally that Holecek was looking to contribute more to the team after having stepped away for a stint to coach a football team in Milan, Italy.
Holecek, however, continued to remain involved with the school during his time away, working with the Advancement Department and serving as varsity linebackers coach for the 2023-24 season.
“And so, we were able to creatively figure out a way to make this happen, that we can keep two great leaders in the program and just sort of reposition people into different roles with many overlapping responsibilities,” Atwood said.
Holecek declined a Pioneer Press request for comment on returning as head coach.
The varsity football leader has had a long history with the game, spending eight seasons as a linebacker in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, the San Diego Chargers and the Atlanta Falcons. He also played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign prior to being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1995.
“This program has always meant a great deal to me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to step back into this role,” Holecek said in the school’s news release.
“Working alongside Beau and our staff, we’re focused on continuing to raise the standard and creating an environment where our students can grow, compete, and thrive.”
Desherow added, in the announcement, that it has been a “privilege” to lead the program over the last three years and that he was “grateful to continue serving Loyola in this new role and to work alongside John.”
“I’m thrilled about this opportunity and the commitment Loyola Academy is showing the football program,” Beau wrote to the Pioneer Press.
“John and I have an excellent working relationship dating back nearly 20 years, and I am looking forward to partnering with him to take LA Football to the next level. Every rising 8th grader within a 30-mile radius of Loyola who is serious about academics and football should make Loyola Academy their high school destination.”
Desherow has been involved in the Loyola community for over 25 years, having formerly played on the team, served as assistant coach and head sophomore coach. He is also a two-time Chicago Catholic League Lawless Coach of the Year.
In addition to taking on the role of assistant coach for a second round, he will continue to serve the Ramblers in the role of assistant athletic director and director of summer sports camps.
More Top Picks Bookshelves
“He’s an outstanding person and leader and a loyal guy,” Atwood recalled of Desherow. “And same with John, John’s never gotten far away from our program… it’s certainly a blessing and we’re really excited about the opportunity just to keep two awesome guys, two great leaders in our school.”
“John and Beau’s shared dedication to developing the physical, spiritual, and emotional strength of our student-athletes reflects what it truly means to be men for others,” said Rev. Gregory J. Ostdiek, SJ, president of Loyola Academy, in the announcement.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have such a remarkable duo leading our program,” he added.
The Ramblers’ 2026-27 season officially kicks off on Aug. 5, but the team will begin conditioning in June, Atwood said.