After three seasons guiding the Galena boys basketball team, Olek Czyz is stepping down as the Grizzlies coach.
Czyz confirmed the announcement to the RGJ, although the job opening has not been posted yet on the Washoe County School District website.
The Grizzlies improved each season under Czyz, going from 2-24 overall (0-16 in league) in the 2021-22 season to 8-19 overall (2-14 league) in 2022-23 and 12-15 overall (4-12 league) in the 2023-24 season.
Czyz was a standout basketball player at Reno High School (Class of 2008) where helped the Huskies win two state championships. He signed with Duke out of high school, but transferred to Nevada for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
During his junior year, he was selected for the WAC All-Newcomer team. During his senior year, he was selected for the first-team All-WAC and helped lead the Wolf Pack to a conference championship. Czyż graduated from Nevada with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications in May 2012.
Czyz (6-foot-8, 240 pounds) was not selected in the 2012 NBA Draft but joined the Chicago Bulls for the 2012 NBA Summer League. He then signed with Virtus Roma of Italy for the 2012–13 season.
He played with several European League teams before retiring from pro basketball after the 2014-15 season. He runs a basketball training business, Still Ballin Co., in Reno.
Czyz plans to join the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
Galena athletic director Greg Sakelaris is also leaving the school, to teach at McQueen. The basketball position will be filled after Galena hires a new athletic director.