ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL — After more than six decades at Elk Grove High School, legendary educator and softball coach Ken Grams is retiring.
Grams joined the school's faculty in 1965 and went on to become one of the most recognizable figures in Elk Grove High School history, serving as a business teacher, coach, mentor and longtime public address announcer.
During the 2025-26 season, Grams surpassed 1,045 career victories to become the winningest softball coach in Illinois history, according to High School District 214.
A 1958 graduate of Arlington High School, Grams began his career as a student teacher at Forest View High School before joining Elk Grove High School.
He eventually took over the Grenadiers softball program and built it into a perennial contender.
Under Grams, Elk Grove earned three state trophies, finishing second in Illinois in 1982, third in 2010 and fourth in 2012.
His coaching career also earned national recognition. Grams was named the 2024-25 National Federation of State High School Associations Coach of the Year.
Grams' connection to Elk Grove athletics extended well beyond softball.
For nearly 60 years, he served as the public address announcer at Grenadier football games, becoming a familiar voice for generations of students, families and alumni.
Although he is retiring from coaching, Grams plans to continue announcing Elk Grove football games.
District officials said his impact went far beyond his win total and coaching accolades, pointing to the thousands of students he mentored and his role in establishing a culture built around sportsmanship and commitment.
His retirement closes a coaching career that began when Lyndon B. Johnson was president and stretched across more than six decades of Elk Grove High School history.
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