COACHES

2011/10/29

Red Devils Coaching Staff - 2011

Alan Housner - Assistant Coach
Coach Housner has been coaching at Hinsdale for 33 years, including Head Wrestling Coach from 1985 - 1991.

Alan attended Mt Lebanon,PA High School where he was state runner-up in 1971 and state champion in 1972. He finished his high school career with a 54-1 record. Following high school, Coach Housner wrestled for four years at Purdue University and compiled a 59-17 career record. He was a Big Ten runner-up and sixth in the nation as a junior. As a senior, Alan won the Big Ten championship.


Gary Gamen - Head Freshman Coach
Gary is beginning his 25th year at Hinsdale, where, in addition to coaching wrestling, he teaches Physical Education and Drivers Education. He received a B.S. from Indiana State and a M.S from Chicago State in 1990. He was a long-time football coach at Hinsdale, working with the offensive and defensive lines for 20+ years.

Gary is a 1975 graduate of Argo High School. During his stellar athletic career, he was chosen as captain of both the wrestling and football teams. Additionally, Coach Gamen was an All-Conference selection in football.

Coach Gamen graduated from Indiana State University in 1979. He was chosen for the All- Missouri Valley Conference teams in both his junior and senior teams. Gary went on to play several years of professional football.


James Leavell - Assistant Coach
This is Coach Leavell's third year coaching at Hinsdale Central. His stellar high school career included two state championships, a state runner-up, and a Cadet freestyle championship. As a senior in High School, James won the national wrestling championship.

Following high school, James wrestled at Purdue university, graduating in 2000.


Jason Hayes - Head Coach
Coach Jason Hayes is in his third year as leader of the Hinsdale Central Red Devils. Prior to Hinsdale, Jason served as Head Coach of Plainfield North's new wrestling program.
Coach Hayes wrestled at Purdue University, where he was both Captain and an All-Big Ten Academic selection. While a Boilermaker, Jason qualified for the NCAA wrestling tournament and placed in the Big Ten Conference tournament. In High School, he was part of the Bellmont, IN HS State Championship team and was an individual State runner-up.

Coach Hayes's collegiate coaching credentials include an assistant coaching stint at Northern Illinois University, where he coached 10 MAC champions, 4 NCAA All-Americans and a Team MAC championship. He also coached 5 Indiana State HS place winners, 2 State Finalists and 1 State champion.


Jeffrey Tolbert - Assistant Freshman Coach
Coach Tolbert wrestled at Hinsdale, placed 5th in the IHSA state tournament in 1978 and was also captain of the team. Jeff went on to wrestle at Purdue University where he was a three-time team MVP, two-time captain, and two-time NCAA qualifier. He was nationally ranked at 134 lbs.

Coach Tolbert was actively involved in youth wrestling in the community from 1983 to 2005. During that time, he coached 4 State Champions, 28 State Placers and 75 State Qualifiers. Since 2005 Jeff has worked extenively with the Red Devil freshman squad.

Jim Zajicek - Assistant Coach
Coach Zajicek is a 1989 graduate of Hinsdale Central. Jim's high school achievements include Football All-Conference and Team Captain; two-time All Conference, two-time Team Captain and State Qualifier in Wrestling; two-time All Conference and two-time All-State in Track (discus).

At Northwestern University, Coach Zajicek was a football and wrestling letterwinner. He was also two-times All Conference in Football, Wrestling and Track at Augustana. Jim was a two-time qualifier for the DIII Wrestling and Track (Discus) championships.

Jim's coaching career includes Assistant Football Coach at Hinsdale Central (1993-95 and 2004 -07), Assistant Football Coach at North Central College (1995-97), Recruiting Coordinator at Northwood University (1998 - 2000), Assistant Wrestling Coach at North Central College (1995-98), and Head Wrestling Coach at Hinsdale Central High School (2002-09).

John Melone - Assistant Coach
Coach Melone has spent 27 years in District 86 in the Science Department teaching Earth Science and Chemistry.

John is a 1974 graduate of Morton West High School where he played football and wrestled. He went on to play football and wrestle at Monmouth College, where he was a National Qualifier for the DIII wrestling tournament. After college, Coach Melone acted as assistant football coach at NW Louisiana where he received his M Ed.

John has a total of 29 years of coaching, including 3 years as Head Wrestling Coach at Monmouth College, 17 years at Hinsdale South and 9 years at Hinsdale Central.

Pat Quirk - Assistant Coach
Coach Quirk is a 1996 graduate of Hinsdale Central, where he was a two-time IHSA State Finalist, two-time All West Suburban Conference selection, Team Captain, and a two-time Junior National All-American (Freestyle).

Pat continued his wrestling career at the University of Illinois. He was a two-time All-American (8th in 2000 and 2nd in 2001), Big Ten Champion (2001), and Team Captain. Pat has been coaching at Hinsdale since 2004.