Coach John Ulrich, Sr. (1949-2025) has dedicated 58 years of his life to growing and developing young men & women into great basketball players and even better people. He loved coaching because he used it as a tool to teach young people the importance of effort, teamwork, and attention to detail. In 1990, Coach Ulrich committed his talents and career toward building the Bobcat basketball program at Immanuel Lutheran School in Palatine, IL. Coach's very first class found immediate success while winning the school's first-ever LSA state basketball championship, and a dynasty was born. Following in that tradition, Coach Ulrich went on to lead both boys' and girls' teams to countless LSA state & LBAA national championships.

However, the most important aspect of Coach Ulrich's program was not winning... It was about developing young men and women to be the best version of themselves. He used basketball as a tool to develop leadership skills, confidence, and purpose in the lives of thousands of young people. All the while coaching them, Coach Ulrich was leading them toward a life of learning about and accepting Christ as their redeemer. Coach Ulrich bleeds Bobcat blue and nothing would make him prouder than to know that his legacy and tradition are carried on. He believed strongly in Christian education, and Immanuel Lutheran was his church, his home, and his final resting place.

In his honor, we would like to establish the "John Ulrich Memorial Fund," which will be used to support the financial needs of students that cannot afford to attend Immanuel Lutheran School - Palatine, IL. Your generous donation will help support Coach Ulrich's legacy and help keep the incredible tradition alive for years to come.