
Being a Noble Street College Prep student is no easy feat. We expect a lot from our students: We push them to work hard, challenge them daily in class, and encourage them to join extracurricular activities (it is a requirement at Noble Street to complete four enrichment credits). The list only goes on from there.
Despite the challenges or perhaps even because of them, many of our alumni return to serve as teachers and staff at Noble Street. In fact, over 25% of the adults in our building were once students who sat at those exact desks! They come back swinging, ready to lead and push our students to achieve their dreams in the same way they were pushed when they were scholars here. In particular, we see such a huge influence from Noble Street alumni in our athletics program—five of our seven coaches are alumni! We sat down with four alumni coaches to talk about their experience of coming back to their high school to coach a sport.
Edwin Ramirez | Soccer Coach

Since he was little, Edwin Ramirez, boys and girls junior varsity and varsity soccer coach at Noble Street, has been kicking that black-and-white ball up and down the field. And he didn’t stop when he got to Noble Street as a freshman in 2015. His experience as a student ultimately drove him to return and coach at Noble Street.
“Returning to Noble allows me to give back to my community— to pour back the love that my teachers poured into me,” Ramirez said.
He remembers all the wins when he was a student, winning regionals for three years and then coming in second in the Noble League.
“It was hard work,” He said. He had to manage many long nights of practice and games alongside his schoolwork. But, he knows that challenge, along with the support of his coaches, is what helped him succeed in school and later.
Now, he supports his students in the same way, and he is proud of how his teams have flourished in the past three years he’s been coaching. In 2023, the JV boys soccer team were Noble League champions, beating the multi-year reigning champions at ITW David Speer Academy. This school year, the boys varsity team got promoted to gold division, and the girls varsity team is guaranteed to be promoted to gold division as well by the end of this season.
He has also seen how his students have grown as people, not just as players. To him, this is even more meaningful.
“Winning games is not the reason,” Ramirez said. Off the field, Ramirez pushes his students to be more than players, often hosting special office hours for his players to complete homework and check in on any behavior concerns. His reason for coaching has always been to make a difference in the lives of his students.
Jocelyn Solis | Softball Coach

Jocelyn Solis eats, sleeps, and dreams of softball. Solis has played ball since she was little and now plays in adult leagues and on a Chicago Park District team. She brings this passion to the girls softball team at Noble Street, which she has been coaching since 2019.
Coming back to her high school felt right to Solis. Her time as a student-athlete at Noble Street was full of memorable moments that changed her, and she wanted to do that for the next generation. She remembers her coach’s high expectations and deep compassion for her players.
“My coach did check-ins with us all the time so she knew when a player was off,” Solis said.
Now, she seeks to emulate that same care and mentorship for her students. On top of that, she aims to leave her players with lifelong skills they can carry with them into college and beyond.
“Perservance, resilience, and {their} ability to conquer hard things is what my coaching is about,” Solis said.
In the past, Solis has pushed her team up into the blue division, won the Noble League Championship in 2023, and second place in 2024. While wins aren’t the focus for Solis either, she hopes to keep pushing the team to even greater heights next year.
“I teach my girls to strive for excellence. Chasing the ‘W’s’ is nice, but growth is better.”
Severiano Acosta | Basketball Coach

Coming back to Noble Street to coach boys basketball was a no-brainer for Severiano Acosta. He attributes some of his greatest achievements to his experiences at Noble Street and on the basketball team, from graduating to receiving a college scholarship to playing basketball at Presentation College in South Dakota.
“Noble’s structure, partnered with genuine care, allowed me to grow into the adult I am today. This is reflected in my coaching daily,” Acosta said.
He remembers early mornings running suicides on the Noble Street court and late nights watching films and practicing plays with his teammates. Those bonds he made stand out even more to him than their wins and losses.
“We didn’t win any championships, but I did gain a few best friends,” Acosta said.
Even now, 15 years later, his close friends are those same teammates.
He is glad for the chance to help his both his JV and varsity players create those same bonds now, as well as push them on the court.
When asked what he hopes to leave behind as a coach, Acosta— same as his high school coach— said he wants his students to gain more than just court skills. He wants them to learn life skills that will set them up for success.
“The last two seasons, I’ve seen a ton of individual growth. I am looking forward to putting that growth together as a whole group,” Acosta said.
Valdez Diaz | Football & Baseball Coach

When Valdez Diaz joined Noble Street to coach varsity football and baseball five years ago, he knew Noble Street was where he wanted to be.
“Coming back to Noble Street felt like coming home. It was never ‘if’ {I would come back}, it was ‘when’,” Diaz said.
Diaz has played football since the second grade, and his love for the sport continued through middle school, high school, and college. He also played semi-pro and now plays in a men’s Sunday league.
Coaching to Diaz is like breathing, he said. He believes this is what he is meant to do and works hard for his players on and off season. His experience as a student-athlete at Noble Street is something he relies on to help build up his players.
“I share my experiences as a former athlete at Noble to show my players that success is possible, regardless of the high school they attend. I emphasize the steps needed to reach the next level in their athletic careers and guide them through the process,” Diaz said.
He reflected that all of his coaches growing up, along with the structure he received at Noble Street, have led him to be the leader he is today. He hopes to inspire the same in his players, guiding them to be well-rounded athletes who find success in winning seasons and academic improvement.
“I want my players to graduate with strong character and humility, prepared to overcome life’s challenges. I hope to leave a lasting legacy beyond the field by instilling these values,” Diaz said.
Acosta, Solis, Ramirez, and Diaz shared what it feels like to go back to their alma mater as a coach: To all of them, it feels like a full-circle moment in their lives. Being a Noble educator and coach is hard work. Their days during the season are long and taxing, but there is no doubt in their mind that they would rather be at Noble Street than doing something else.