When Rob Zvonar accepted a job at Lincoln-Way High School fresh out of college, he never imagined that his first coaching role would turn into his destination job — or that it would evolve into one of the most dominant and culture-defining football programs in Illinois history. Now entering his 32nd year with the district and his 25th year as head coach of Lincoln-Way East, his influence reaches far beyond the end zones.
This month, LincolnWay City Lifestyle got an exclusive inside look into the program — and what makes the Griffins’ culture one of a kind.
What Zvonar has built over the past two decades is more than a football team. It’s a legacy.
He began his coaching career at the original Lincoln-Way High School in 1994 before becoming the first head coach of the newly formed Lincoln-Way East football program in 2001. With no seniors on the roster that inaugural season, few expected the team to make waves — but they did. The Griffins finished 6–4 and qualified for the playoffs, setting a tone of excellence and resilience that would define the program for years to come.
Since then, Lincoln-Way East has appeared in the playoffs every single year — 24 consecutive seasons and counting — marking a streak unmatched in Illinois history. Under Zvonar’s leadership, the team has compiled a 244–45 overall record, boasting the highest winning percentage in state history (84.4%) for programs with at least 250 games played. They’ve secured three Class 8A State Championships (2005, 2017, 2019) and finished as state runners-up three additional times.
The program’s recent dominance is particularly striking: over the last 100 games, the Griffins are 93–7. “Five of those losses are to Loyola Academy,” Coach Zvonar says with a grin. “Our day will come.”
Ask Coach Zvonar how this kind of sustained success is possible, and he’ll humbly point to what he calls his “Five Tools”: support of the community through robust youth programs, amazing administration, faculty, and staff that prioritize student success, supportive parents who trust the process, an incredible coaching staff (many of whom are former players), and outstanding players who buy into the program, year after year.
These five elements, he says, “work together like gears in a machine. If one gear breaks, the whole thing stutters. But when everything is aligned — that’s when the magic happens.”
With over 230 student-athletes currently in the program, Lincoln-Way East is more than just a football team — it’s a community institution. “We’re not just coaching plays,” Rob says. “We’re shaping men.”
The backbone of Coach Zvonar’s coaching philosophy is relationship-building. One of his core principles? “Rules without relationships = rebellion. Rules with relationships = results.”
Those words aren’t just painted on a locker room wall; they’re lived every day by coaches and players alike. The Griffins run an almost year-round program, with four-day-a-week engagements from January through May, and full summer conditioning. But it’s not all sprints and scrimmages. The football coaches and staff focus just as much on accountability, self-esteem, and character development.
Over the years, more than 200 players have gone on to play college football, and four have reached the NFL. But the true measure of success? The thousands of alumni who have become surgeons, entrepreneurs, teachers, tradespeople, city leaders, and military servicemen. “Football was just the vehicle,” Rob says. “Our real goal is to help these young men find out who they are — and who they want to be.”
One of the most unique aspects of Lincoln-Way East’s program is its coaching staff: half of the coaches are former players. That continuity isn’t just a testament to the strength of the program — it’s proof of the enduring impact Coach Zvonar has had on his players. Those who once wore the Griffins jersey now walk the sidelines, shaping the next generation the same way they were shaped.
It’s a full-circle story, repeated over and over in the hallways and huddles of Lincoln-Way East.
With another playoff run on the horizon and a new roster of hungry, talented athletes, Coach Zvonar isn’t slowing down. He’s still driven by the same things that brought him here — a love for the game, a deep respect for his players, and a belief in what football can teach when done right.
“It’s never been about just winning games,” he reflects. “It’s about building something that lasts — on the field, in the classroom, and in life.”
As the 2025 season kicks off, one thing is clear: at Lincoln-Way East, the legacy continues — one heartbeat, one game, one young man at a time.
We’re not just coaching plays,” Coach Zvonar emphasizes. “We’re shaping men.”