King’s Run to the CIF-SS Boys Lacrosse Championship is a Family Affair
Head coach Kyle Gilbert and his two assistants each have a son on the Wolves' team heading into Saturday's title game against Agoura.
RIVERSIDE — The 2025 season has been somewhat of a family affair for the King boys lacrosse program.
Every coach in the program has a son playing on the varsity squad. This includes first-year head coach Kyle Gilbert (son Logan) and his trusted assistants Brandon Arias (son Dominic) and Jeff Van Lierop (son Kale).
The father-son duos have been instrumental in King advancing to a CIF Southern Section championship match for the first time in program history. The No. 4-seeded Wolves face No. 2-seeded Agoura for the Division 3 title Saturday [17 May 2025] at 2:30 p.m. at El Modena High School in Orange.
“I had an older son (Brayden) who played lacrosse here at King. I didn’t coach him. I just watched from the stands,” Kyle Gilbert said. “It’s been fun to watch and coach Logan this year. I treat him like anyone else on the team. And that means as a player and son. As coaches, we all have some ownership and a responsibility to all of the players in raising them and getting them ready for those next stages of life.”
Logan Gilbert, a junior attacker and one of the team’s three captains, said having his father as a coach has been a strength.
“We already have that bond as father and son, so it’s pretty easy to have a strong relationship as player and coach,” Logan said.
Brandon Arias has been coaching his son since Dominic started his career in athletics in elementary school.
“It’s seems fitting we’re here now,” Brandon said. “It’s been a pleasure coaching him his junior season and hope to do it again next year.”
Dominic, a junior defensive midfielder, sees the benefits of having his father as a coach.
“He can give me two different perspectives of how I’m playing. He sees the game as a coach but also as my dad,” Dominic said. “That’s one of the first things I thought about when he asked me if he should coach. I had no problems with that. I’ve enjoyed it.”
Kyle Gilbert and Jeff Van Lierop first started coaching together four years ago when their sons were on the junior varsity team.
“It’s been amazing to see the players grow and improve throughout the years,” Jeff Van Lierop said. “This year’s senior class (10 players) truly is a family. We went 10-0 in league that first year as JV coaches. And Kyle and I really didn’t know what we were doing back then. We’ve been able to instill a lot of values into the boys. … And it’s more than lacrosse. The game teaches disciple and leadership.”
Kale Van Lierop, a senior midfielder and another captain, has enjoyed his father being along for the ride.
“It has been exciting. Not everyone has the opportunity to share this kind of experience with a parent,” Kale said. “He has been a strong role model for me both on and off the field. It’s nice to know I have the support from him on the sidelines but also at home.”
Van Lierop has a chance to make school history Saturday afternoon. He was a starter on the boys water polo team that won the Division 3 section championship in November. No athlete at King has ever won two section team titles in the same school year.
“I never dreamed that I’d win one CIF championship,” Kale said. “To have the chance to win two in my senior year is a blessing.
“I think I can bring that past experience to this team. … I can tell them exactly what it will be like and what it’s going to take to win.”
The Wolves trailed top-seeded West Ranch for much of last Saturday’s semifinal match, but King held the Wildcats to one goal in the second half and returned home with a 10-9 win. It was a breakthrough for a program that lost in the semis in 2021 and 2023.
“I think it’s the bonds we have on the team. I’ve never felt something like this on a team before,” said junior defensive midfielder and tri-captain Preston Fox. “We’re playing for each other out there, and we know our teammates are going to have our back.”
