Dave Heiss enters his sixteenth year in charge of Waubonsee’s golf program. A true teacher and student of the game, each year Heiss’ teams seem to consistently improve as the season progresses. As a matter of fact, the Chiefs’ won the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference title in 2001 and 2004 under his leadership.

Under Heiss’ guidance, twenty-six golfers have attained All-Skyway Conference status including 2004 medalist and All-Region IV performer Milo French. In addition, Eric Heinkel finished third in the Skyway that year and then went on to earn All-Tournament honors by placing 14th at the NJCAA Division II Nationals. Subsequently, Heiss was named the Skyway’s Golf Coach of the Year that season.

Coach Heiss has had some other memorable campaigns as well, especially his ‘diamond anniversary’ tenth year as golf coach in 2001. That jewel of a season witnessed the Chiefs winning the Skyway title for the first time since 1989. Five of Heiss’ golfers made the All-Conference team as the Chiefs went undefeated in Skyway play. As a direct result, Heiss was honored as the Skyway’s Golf Coach of the Year.

That sparkling season was capped off when the team won the Region IV championship for the first time in school history. The Chiefs then competed at the NJCAA Nationals in Arizona, finishing 18th in the nation. Individually, Aaron Conlon placed 26th in the nation, missing out on All-American status by just two strokes.

In addition to his golf responsibilities, Heiss has led the men’s basketball program the last 21 years. During that time he has built the Chiefs into a national contender, winning over 400 games and registering twenty or more wins in a season ten times.

Heiss graduated in 1980 from Aurora West High School. He attended Eastern Wyoming Junior College and Bemidji State University in Minnesota. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Bemidji State and his master’s degree from Chicago State University in 1992. Heiss is a full-time faculty member in the physical education department at Waubonsee and a life-long resident of Aurora. Coach Heiss has three children, D.J., Danielle and Demi.

Chuck Van Horn brings to Waubonsee’s program a love and passion for the game of golf. He has been an avid player and teacher of the game for many years. Coach Van Horn directed Aurora Central Catholic (ACC) High School’s golfers for 11 years, guiding either the Chargers’ team or an individual to sectional play eight times during that span. He also coached track at ACC before joining the Chiefs’ staff in 2005 as a volunteer assistant coach.

A 1978 graduate of West Aurora High School, Van Horn was an All-Upstate Eight Conference performer for the Blackhawks’ track team, setting a league high jump record.  
A truly versatile athlete, he went on to earn All-Conference honors in basketball at the Morrison Institute of Technology in southern Illinois. Van Horn then transferred to Southern Illinois University and achieved a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology in 1982.

Coach Van Horn has been an Aurora Firefighter for 20 years, serving as a Senior Medic. Never straying too far away from golf, Van Horn operates his own business (Black Diamond Golf) making custom built golf clubs. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Management from Benedictine University in Lisle. Van Horn resides in Oswego with his wife Glenda and their three daughters Amber, Leah and Alison.