04-10-15
FREEBURG - Freeburg Community High School District 77 is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Matt Laur to the positions of Driver’s Education teacher, Head Boys Basketball Coach, and Athletic Director at FCHS.

Mr. Laur comes to FCHS after most recently having served on the staff of Men’s Basketball Head Coach Lennox Forrester at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

Mr. Laur was on that staff from 2009-2013 and was SIU-E’s Associate Head Coach for past two seasons.

Prior to SIU-E, Coach Laur was the Director of Basketball Operations at Ball State University in 2008-2009 and an Assistant Coach at Missouri Southern State University in 2007-2008.

Mr. Laur taught Driver’s Education and PE and served as Head Boys Basketball Coach at Steeleville High School from 2004 through 2007.

Under his direction, the Steeleville Warriors established a new school record with 28 wins in 2004-2005 and advanced to the IHSA Sectional Final that season.

Laur, a 6-foot-11 power forward, was a 1998 graduate of Farina South Central High School where he led his Cougars to a 27-3 record and the school's only sectional championship in boy's basketball.

A 2003 graduate of McKendree University, Coach Laur was a greatly heralded member of the men’s basketball team.

He was a four time NAIA All-American, and was selected as the NAIA Division 1 National Player of the Year in 2003.

After finishing at McKendree, Laur played professionally in the European Adriatic League and was invited to try out with four different teams in the National Basketball Association.

Coach Laur’s record of excellence both in the classroom and on the basketball floor make him an exciting hire for FCHS.

Once his appointment is approved by the FCHSD 77 Board of Education at its next meeting, Coach Laur will begin organizing summer boys’ basketball activities as well as getting to know student-athletes and parents.

Mr. Laur will formally begin his duties at FCHS on July 1, 2015.