Maisto steps down at Burlington Central
Wade Maisto might coach softball again, but it won't be as Burlington Central's head varsity coach.
Just hours before the Rockets lost 8-7 in eight innings to Sterling Tuesday in the Class 3A Marengo sectional semifinals, Maisto submitted his letter of resignation as the program's head coach.
His departure ends 17 years as Central's head coach and five as an assistant. He led the program to two Class A Elite Eight appearances and 334 wins before he stepped down in 1998. He came back as an assistant to Scot Sutherland from 2004-09, helping guide the Rockets to a third-place finish in Class 3A in 2009.
After stepping away from the game for three years, Maisto returned last season. He coached the Rockets to a 50-14 record the past two seasons, including the Big Northern East title last year and a regional championship this year. The Illinois Coaches Association Hall of Famer retires with a career record of 384-115.
"There's just other things I want to do," Maisto said following the Rockets' loss on Tuesday. "I could see coming back as an assistant for someone someday because I love the game. But I'm retired (from teaching) now, and it gets to be 1:30 and I have to head to practice or get ready for a game.
"I told them when I came back that it wouldn't be for one year but it also wouldn't be indefinitely. I'll miss the game part of it but I won't miss all the other things that come with being a head coach. Some new, young blood might be good for these kids."
Maisto felt he accomplished positive things for the program the past two years.
"I felt like we put a good team out there that could beat any team in the state on a given day," he said. "We won 50 games the last two years and we beat some really good teams."
Maisto said his daughter Erica, who was his assistant this year, is undecided about her coaching future.