Chris Zessau, “Coach Z”, grew up locally playing a variety of high school and college sports including lacrosse. During his first ten years as a teacher at Downey High School, he coached lacrosse with Coach Witkin, serving as the defensive coordinator. As a Lacrosse player, Coach Z played for Loyola Marymount University. Coach Z began teaching at Downey High School in 2000 as the athletic trainer. Currently, he runs the sports medicine program he started over ten years ago. Coach Z has been married to his wife, Kerri, for over 20 years and together they have a eighteen year-old son, Gunner, and a Rottweiler, Jet.