Baseball: Retiring Asquini leaves his mark over 20 seasons coaching at St. Charles East

St. Charles East's baseball program has been regarded as one of the best in the state for the past 30 years.

A major reason behind the long-term success can be found in the Saints' dugout - head coach Len Asquini (1996-2003, 2012-2023).

Currently in his 20th season at the helm, Asquini's resume includes 10 regional titles, 4 sectional crowns, a Class AA state quarterfinal appearance (2002), a 3rd-place Class 4A state showing (2013), and is highlighted by the Saints' Class AA state championship finish (1999).

The Saints (25-4) are the top sectional seed heading into Wednesday's Glenbard West regional tournament - where Asquini will try to add to his 477 career coaching victories.

This will be his last season, as the longtime Saints' special education teacher/head baseball coach is retiring after the 2023 campaign.

He's leaving, but the memories will live on through Saints players ...

Tom Trayser (Class of 1997) - "I was fortunate to have Coach Asquini for three years - one at the sophomore level and two when he became varsity coach. He paid extreme attention to detail and was super competitive. He cared about his players a ton."

James Trayser (Class of 1999) - "Coach Asquini turned the culture around to baseball at St. Charles. He put all the pieces together for us. I recall a summer game where we made 6 or 7 errors. After the game, we gathered near the left-field fence, and he lit into us. I remember him pointing across the fence to the freshman field and saying maybe we should play there instead. That helped us turn the corner for the next season and we went on to win the state title."

Jim Caine (Class of 1999) - "He was one of the first high school coaches to get into promoting players for playing at the next level. One of the biggest things he has always done is situational leadership. Some teams might need more leadership than others. He has the uncanny ability of evaluating that from year to year. My senior year, we had a strong group and he put the seniors in position to drive the culture of the team."

Brian Szarmach (Class of 2002) - "He's absolutely one of my favorite all-time coaches. He does a great job mentoring young boys to become men and preparing them for life. I remember my junior year and how happy we were finally getting that fitted STC hat. We played awful the first week, so he took the hats away and gave us these old snapback hats with a white 'S' on them. Sure enough, we started playing better and we got our hats back."

Matt Reynolds (Class of 2003/6-year MLB career with Colorado, Arizona, SF) - "I have great memories of playing with Coach Asquini. He was a players' coach. He was a great molder of young men. As a player, you were expected to follow rules and play hard. A key to his success is consistency. He has been a consistent person for a long time."

Max Payleitner (Class of 2004) - "Coach has always been 100 percent true to himself. He calls it how he sees it and holds you accountable. He has been a role model as a coach and as a colleague in the (STC East) special education department. I have learned a lot from him. I feel privileged to have been a part of it."

Ryan Priola (Class of 2004) - "Coach Asquini did a fantastic job of motivating young people. Back when the East-North rivalry was very new, he made sure we took pride in our school. Some of my best childhood memories are attending the summer baseball camp at East."

Luke Ludke (Class of 2012) - "I didn't play baseball as a junior, but Coach Asquini was a big reason why I returned my senior year when he came back to coaching. He's a legend in the community. He could balance the fine line between being a players' coach and knowing when to tighten things up."

Joe Hoscheit (Class of 2013) - "Playing with Coach Asquini was an awesome experience. We finished third in the state my senior year - it was a good way to go out and come full circle since he was my football coach freshman year. I enjoyed his coaching style. He held us accountable and always had us prepared for games."

Nick Huskisson (Class of 2013) - "I think back to the kids' camps and the influence he had on my athletic endeavors. He has a crazy passion for the game. He's such a gamer and wants to win so badly. He teaches life lessons and instills belief. I learned the discipline it takes to do whatever you want to do."

Brannon Barry (Class of 2014) - "Coach Asquini demanded the best out of his players, and he was very fair. He loved that baseball field - he was always there taking care of it. He also had ways to make things fun. When we won 10 games in a row, he let us have a themed practice."

Jake Asquini (Class of 2015) - "It always felt normal for me (as his son) since he had been coaching baseball for me since I was 3 years old. We didn't butt heads too much. He never let me call him dad on the field. I was just another player. We had a good time with it. One of the perks was always being able to talk to him about games."

Niko Klebosits (Class of 2018) - "He always played to win - I loved that about him. His practices were structured, and he'd keep you on your toes. He didn't like players wearing sunglasses when he was talking to them - he wanted to see their eyes. Looking back, he tried to get the most out of every player."

Brett Brueske (Class of 2018) - "I will always be thankful for the opportunities that Coach Asquini gave me, and it's one of the reasons why I'm still playing today. I remember once as a junior during 5 a.m. preseason pitching practice I walked in, and Coach Asquini had me turn around and walk back in as if I were the ace of the staff. It was a turning point in my career."

John Dellostritto (Class of 2018) - "He always had an even demeanor whether we were playing Larkin or North. It was a very comfortable playing environment."

Seth Winkler (Class of 2023) - "It has been a great three years playing for Coach Asquini ever since I've been up on the varsity level. He has always been there for me."

Jake Zitella (Class of 2023) - "It has been an honor playing for him. I've known him since I was like 8. He has been a huge role model my whole career. He's one of the greatest coaches I'm ever going to have."

Mark Foulkes (Varsity assistant coach) - "I started coaching with Len in the spring of 2000 (through 2003) and was lucky to be asked back when he returned in the summer of 2011. One of his best coaching traits is that he's a wonderful communicator. He listens to the kids, and he holds them accountable without raising his voice. He can talk to players as a coach, a father figure and as a friend - all at one time. That is such a gift. It has been a wonderful experience for me. I'm beyond grateful for having the opportunity to coach with him."