Barrington coach Dello to resign at end of season
A tough season on the basketball court was nothing compared to what Barrington boys head coach Marty Dello faced off it in the last year.
Dello's wife Lisa completed her radiation treatments from a nearly two-year battle with breast cancer around Christmas. Last spring, his 61-year-old dad, Mickey, nearly died from heart and kidney failure and a stroke.
Both are doing better, but that didn't change Dello's decision in early January to give up something he loved so he could devote more time to the people he loved.
On Wednesday, Barrington announced Dello will be resigning as head coach at the end of what will be his sixth season in the program and 20th year of coaching basketball.
"From a professional standpoint I had heard coaches talk about it and never quite understood it, but for me it was the energy level," said Dello, who told his team his decision Monday. "It was hard for me physically to do what I want to do.
"By the time I got to practice I didn't have the other gear to rev it up like I want to and like I have. Through all of this you find out life is so short and time is precious and it would be nice if we could do some of these things together."
Those include going on hockey trips with their son Tory, who turns 12 on Saturday. Lisa had gone on trips with Tory recently to Detroit, Toronto and Cleveland.
They also have a 15-year-old daughter Angela, who is a freshman at Crystal Lake Central.
"She (Lisa) really wanted me to go back (and coach) for a couple more years," Dello said, "but you just know and that's where I'm at."
Dello is 75-90 at Barrington and 126-125 in nine years as a high school head coach. This year's team is 4-19 and plays the first of four remaining regular-season games Friday at Palatine.
Dello's first Barrington team in 2003-04, led by future college standouts Jason Richards (Davidson) and Bucky Cox (Drake), went 20-9 and won a Class AA regional title. He was also 51-35 with a regional crown in three years at Crystal Lake South.
"We are very supportive and understanding of Marty's decision," said Barrington athletic director Mike Obsuszt in a statement. "We know how important it is for Marty to devote as much time to her and their children.
"He has done a commendable job coaching under such difficult personal circumstances and we wish him and his family nothing but the best."
Dello, who will remain at Barrington as a driver's education teacher in the physical education department, said he started thinking about stepping aside in the fall when he couldn't get to open gyms because of his family's situation.
Dello hopes Barrington, which beat MSL West co-leader Hoffman Estates 54-40 two weeks ago, can finish with a flourish.
"I tell our kids this all the time, I'm proud to be the coach at Barrington," said Dello, who didn't rule out a return to coaching. "I'm proud of what our kids have accomplished."
Obsuszt said he plans to start the search for a new coach soon and hopes to have it done well before the 2009-10 school year starts.