Iguanas Staff are all certified by USA Swimming and/or USA Water Polo
Age Group/ 8 and Under
Courtney Leonard
All- State distance swimmer at Hoffman Estates High holds multiple 33 year old team records there. Competed 4 years at D1 Illinois State University where she was 2x team captain and member of Missouri Valley Conference champion team. Coached at Glenbrook Swim Club. Also known as Iguana members Lizzie and Sarah’s mom and future Iguana Amelia. When she’s not coaching she likes to play tennis, read, and is a girl scout troop leader. She can also help you shop for a mortgage with CrossCountry Mortgage!
Wren Burke
Senior at Lane Tech- swam for Lane, Iguanas and Lincolnwood Lightning where she also lifeguards. Hopes to study at University of Vermont next year to become a history teacher.
John Sencion
Coach John has been coaching for 50 years! Started at his dad’s team (Jane Addams Hull House- Uptown). Standout swimmer at Lakeview High and Northeastern IL U. Coached at South Side Y, New City Y, and has been with Iguanas since 2010. John has 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and a stepson at NIU.
Jessica Isaacson
Swam at U of I Urbana- Champaign and Eisenhower High (Blue Island). Mom of Iguana member Sloane! Avid surfer has ridden the waves from Costa Rica to California.
High School/ Advanced
Patrick Graham
Head Swim Coach at Notre Dame College Prep (Niles). Sons Frankie and Marco are on the team and son James visits occasionally.
Olivia Borowski
ESL and History teacher at CPS. Swam for Northside College Prep and earned All-City and State qualifying honors. Club swimmer at U of I, Assisted with Iguanas for 3 years. Head Coach at Lincolnwood Lightning summer program.
Lance Grossman
Retired Firefighter and Paramedic from CFD (30 years) swam for Wildkit (Evanston) and ETHS where 2 relays earned All- America honors, played club water polo at U of I. Started coaching in 1992 at McGaw Y and then New City Y (the old North Ave Y). Joined Iguanas in 2005 and Head Coach since 2010. Started the Jones- Payton Co-Op high school team with Jim Cortez in 2006 and assisted there 5 years. Coached at Lane Tech 2012- 2022; as head coach at Lane girls’ took the team to its first ever top 50 state rankings three years in a row when they ranked in top 25 each year. Coached at summer program Lincolnwood Lightning for 18 years and runs Iguanas triathlon program. When not at pool likes to hang out with 23 year old twin daughters (Maggie and Zoe), wrangle three dogs and snow ski with partner Cris.
Water Polo (partner with Chicago Water Polo Club)
Mac Varilla
Mac is the Head Coach of Jones-Payton Co-Op water polo. He led them to their first City (2018) and Sectional (2016) titles there. Last year they earned their first state top 10 ranking. Coach Mac is also the midwest coach for USA Water Polo Olympic Development Team and plays with the Phillipines National Program.
Meredith Lohman
Meredith starred on the Jones- Payton swim and polo teams and is finishing her Masters of Science from Northwestern University. Played club polo as an undergrad at NU as well.
Ava Gibbs
Ava swam for Iguanas and was a four time water polo City Champ at Lane Tech and started on their Elite 8 team her senior year. Ava is studying design ay UIC.
