[old_school_hero]

Mike Martino at Russell has resigned.

http://www.dailyindependent.com/sports/m...2d0a3.html

Martino said he resigned after a meeting Monday with Russell Independent Schools Superintendent Sean Horne, Chaffin, assistant principal Dave Caniff and Red Devils athletic director Sam Sparks.

Martino said he made the decision to resign “probably when I walked into the meeting yesterday.”

Martino stopped short of confirming he was asked to resign, but added, “I think the superintendent made it pretty clear that he wants things the way he wants them during his tenure as superintendent.”

Horne became superintendent in 2013. The new baseball coach will be Russell’s fifth head coach hire in a varsity team sport during his tenure.

Martino also didn’t fight it because “really, out of respect for Anna Chaffin, who I think the world of, I wasn’t gonna make her have to do that.”

“For the past 17 years, Coach Martino has had a positive impact on the RHS baseball program,” Chaffin said in a statement. “We thank him for his willingness to make a difference in the lives of the young men wearing a Russell uniform.”

Martino, 59, also thanked Sparks “for everything he’s done for me over my time here at Russell.”

The heavy hand of the Russell Superintendent strikes again. Martino took an 11-19 team in 2014 to a 22-16 team that made it to the Regional Championship in 2015. Cannot wait to see which one of Horne's buddies gets the job.