Wichman resigns as Burlington football coach

Burlington Central High School football coach Aaron Wichman resigned Monday after seven seasons as the Rockets’ head coach.

“My decision to resign was made after long and careful consideration of many factors,” Wichman said in a prepared statement released by the school Monday afternoon. “At this point I feel a change is necessary in benefiting my long term goals and objectives and those of the football program.”

Wichman came to Central in 2004 after posting a 3-6 record in his only season as Elgin High’s head coach. He replaced Dave Smith, who had gone 50-22 in the previous seven years before taking the job at Princeton High School (he’s now the head coach at Mt. Zion in southern Illinois).

In his seven years on Rocket Hill, Wichman’s teams went 32-35 and made the playoffs three times, but not since 2007. The last three BC teams, which have each suffered through injury-riddled seasons, went 2-7, 3-6 and 3-6. Even though they competed in the Big Northern East, the Rockets failed to win early in the season, going 3-12 in their first five games of the season the last three years.

“My seven years coaching football at Central High School has been a very challenging and rewarding experience and has taught me many valuable lessons,” Wichman’s statement said. “I appreciate the opportunities that I have been given and wish the program the best of luck in the future.”

BC athletic director Steve Gertz said the position would be posted in the next couple of days and that he hopes to begin interviews in early April, after spring break.

“The whole thing has happened so quickly that we’ll sit down now and come up with the expectations we have for a new coach,” Gertz said Monday.

Wichman will continue to teach at the school and be the Rockets’ head girls track coach.