Brasile leaving Hampshire for Woodstock

It's a coaching position that opens rarely.

Hampshire High School seeks the fifth football coach in the program's 54-year history after Mike Brasile, who led the Whip-Purs for the last four seasons, accepted the same position at Woodstock. His hiring was made official Tuesday.

"I still live in Woodstock and it is my alma mater," said Brasile, a starting lineman on the school's 1997 Class 5A state championship team. "There is a place in my heart for Woodstock and I had to seek out this opportunity when it presented itself. I'm ready to get to work for the Blue Streaks and the community I love."

Brasile, 37, guided Hampshire to a 14-23 record. In 2015, he led the Whip-Purs to a 6-4 mark and a playoff appearance. That was the last year the Fox Valley Conference featured two divisions based on enrollment.

Hampshire has struggled against the league's larger schools in the two seasons since the FVC contracted, finishing 3-6 in 2016-17 and 1-8 last fall.

"Mike's done very well here," Hampshire athletic director Dave Hicks said. "He's helped us in this transition from a small school to playing with some of the larger schools in a new conference. Obviously, it's been kind of rough but our (participation) numbers have been good. He did a good job of getting kids to come out and stay out. It's not always about winning and losing. It's about life lessons and doing positive things together. We're very happy for Mike because he's going home."

Hicks said the search for a new coach will begin in early March when he'll have a better handle on which teaching positions will be available.

Hicks is retiring at the end of June and will be replaced as athletic director by Elgin basketball coach Mike Sitter, whose hiring was announced last month. Sitter will be involved in the hiring of the new coach, according to his predecessor.

"Obviously, he needs to be part of the process," Hicks said. "He has a football coaching background. We definitely want Mike around to be there to see what we're looking at and to have input."

Brasile's four-year coaching stint matches Mike Wendt (1984-1987) for the briefest in Hampshire football history. Program founder Ron Ellett enjoyed the longest tenure (1963-1983), followed by Dan Cavanaugh (1989-2013).