Toggle Menu

Academy Aces Athletics

Our student athletes compete with integrity.

Whether it is basketball or wrestling, the Ida Crown Jewish Academy Aces are known locally and nationally as formidable competitors. And at national sports tournaments, parents, teachers and students travel far distances to support our men and women athletes. In 2012, two varsity athletic teams, the wrestlers and the varsity girls’ basketball team, became Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Regional Champions in the same week. This is the first time in the school’s history that any team won the regional championship game and likely the first time that any Jewish day school took that title twice in the same season. Later in that same year, the wrestlers won the YU Henry Wittenberg Wrestling Invitational for the 8th time, scoring more points than any team had ever scored in tournament history.

We currently offer many interscholastic athletic teams, including: boys’ and girls’ cross country, girls’ soccer, boys’ baseball, wrestling, girls’ and boys’ junior varsity and varsity basketball teams, boys’ fencing. For more information contact Brittany Peters, athletic director at bpeters@icja.org

Athletic Department Programs

In order to participate, you will need to complete the following forms. No student/athlete may participate in an open gym, tryout, or practice in any sport until the athletic office is in receipt of the completed Permit Card, the signed IHSA sports medicine consent, the participation form and the registration form.

Athletic Manual

Please read the Athletic Manual and confirm your agreement below by submitting the form.

Athletic Forms

Cross Country

Boys’ Coach: David Shyovitz, davidshy@gmail.com

Girls’ Coach: Dana Hunter, dana.n.hunter@gmail.com

Start date: August 7 (no tryouts)

Schedule: Click Here To View

Boys’ Soccer

Head Coach: Leo Rodriguez, leorodriguez989@gmail.com

Try-Out Dates: August 13

Schedule: Click Here To View

Boys’ Basketball

Boys’ Varsity Coach: Jonathan Rich, jrich18@gmail.com

Boys’ Varsity Assistant Coach: Lior Geft, liorgeft@gmail.com 

Sophomore Coach: Jeremy Geller, jeremylgeller@gmail.com

Boy’s Sophomore Assistant Coach:

Try-Out Dates: November 5 and 6

Varsity Schedule: Click Here To View

Sophomore Schedule: Click Here To View

Girls’ Basketball

Girls’ Varsity Head Coach: Avi Levinson, avarnai12@gmail.com

Girls’ Jr Varsity Coach: Harris B. Harris, harris.be.harris@gmail.com

Try-Out Dates: October 29 & 31

Varsity Schedule: Click Here To View

JV Schedule: Click Here To View

Wrestling

Coach: Doug Klein, jdouglasklein@yahoo.com

Assistant Coach: Bill Porter, bporter@mortongroveil.org

Try-Out Dates: November 5 & 7

Schedule: Click Here To View

Boys’ & Girls’ Fencing

Fencing Coach: : Bakhyt Abdikulov, fcc@fencingcenterofchicago.com

Try-Out Dates: No Try-outs

Schedule:  Starts October 31

Girls’ Soccer

Head Coach: Leo Rodriguez, leorodriguez989@gmail.com

Try-Out Dates: 

Schedule: Click Here To View

Boys’ Baseball

Coach Steve Greenberg, Steven.greenberg18@gmail.com

Try-Out Dates: 

Schedule: Click Here To View

Athlete Testimonials

“I like the camaraderie of ICJA’s basketball team and enjoy the whole team dynamics. It’s a fun group of guys. We all get to do a sport we love together.”

— Jack Marshall ’26

“I enjoy the friendship and the fun of the fencing team. Finding your rhythm is something our coach really stresses, and that advice affects all areas of our lives. He always says that discipline and constant practice are the keys to success in anything, and that advice has really enriched me.”

— Ben-Tzion Rine ‘24

“The cross-country team showed me the importance of hard work and determination. I enjoy the sense of camaraderie when we finish a hard run together.”

— Yakira Wittlin ‘ 27

“I like the sense of community in the basketball team. Practices are a lot of fun. Joining the girls JV team freshman year helped me feel a part of Ida Crown right away.”

— Ilya Friedman ‘27

“(ICJA Soccer) Coach Leo pushes you to work your best: to improve and work to your full potential, while maintaining a good environment. The games are a lot of fun, and we enjoy the encouragement between the girls on the team.”

— Leeya Starck, ’24 and Taly Benzaquen, ’24

Looking for more information?

Sign up for our Newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.