Ellett decides to step down at Larkin
When it's time it's time, and it's time for Doug Ellett.
Ellett, Larkin's baseball coach the past two seasons and a football and baseball coach in the area for the past 23 years, resigned his position at Larkin on Friday.
"The biggest reason is my family," said Ellett "I'll have two kids in high school next year and they're active in sports and musicals and a lot of things. After 23 years of working with everyone else's kids it's time to spend some time with my own."
Ellett's sophomore-to-be daughter Taylor is a returning Class A state golf qualifier, and incoming freshman Connie is also an avid golfer. Taylor will turn 16 in October and Connie 14 in July.
"Taylor has her permit and she's driving now," said Ellett, whose wife Sue is the golf coach and girls basketball coach at Hampshire. "Before you know it I'll be a grandpa."
Ellett is a 1981 graduate of Hampshire who was a sophomore on the Whip-Purs' 1978 Class 1A state runner-up in football and a junior on the school's 1979 state title team. He coached baseball with Fred Rackow at Hampshire for 9 years then was the head baseball coach at Burlington Central for 10 years before taking over the Larkin program two years ago from Joe Kowalski. Ellett's career baseball record is 246-134, including 36-29 at Larkin.
He also coached football at Larkin off an on for 10 years.
"I love the kids at Larkin and I never had a problem with a kid or a parent in my two years at Larkin," said Ellett, who will continue to teach at Larkin. "And you can't work for a better athletic director than Jim Juliano. He's just a great guy to work for. But for an athletic program to be successful it takes more than a great ADs office and that's something that needs to be looked at."
Ellett said that while he knows he'll miss coaching, time spent watching is daughters' high school days is more important.
"It's time for the younger guys to take over," he said. "I'll miss a lot of things about coaching but I sure won't miss the old yellow school bus."