Dad life pulls Bureau Valley coach Mat Pistole away from football

Mat Pistole walked into his house one day and his little boy, Tate, wanted dad to pick him up right away, but he couldn’t because his hands were full of football items.

Tate’s dad knew that very moment it was time to spend more time at home.

Pistole has decided to resign as the head football coach at Bureau Valley, his alma mater, after six seasons. The only thing he loves more than Storm football is his family.

“I had a ton of stuff in my hands. Had football stuff, work stuff and I had a coat on. I was trying to put all my stuff down to pick him up, but I hadn’t done it yet and Tate was getting upset with me,” Pistole said. “That just symbolizes the whole situation that there’s more important things out there and time to enjoy him and be dad and a husband.

“I just thought where we need to go program-wise and the time I would have available to do the things I would want to do, I don’t know if I can give it 110% like I have, so it’s time to step away and let somebody else have a crack.”

Pistole, 39, said his job as general manager of Astec Industries, manufacturing plant in Sterling, also played a role in his decision along with his growing family.

“I have about 80 families that count on me to make really good decisions and invest a lot of time and energy, so that has to come first also,” he said. “When I think of all those things, I don’t know if I’d have the time and energy to invest the time the community and program and those kids deserve.”

On a social media post, Pistole said, “Being the football coach at Bureau Valley has been one of the greatest honors of my life. This journey has been unforgettable. I am really excited for the chapters still to be written, but I will always cherish my times as ‘coach.’ I’ll forever bleed Navy blue.”

BV superintendent Jason Stabler said Pistole will be missed for his passion for the program and school.

“Coach Pistole dedicated himself fully to our football program and student-athletes, pouring his heart and soul into their success,” he said. “No one wanted to see the program thrive more than he did, and we sincerely appreciate his hard work, passion and commitment.”

After a rough start facing a major rebuilding process when he took over the Storm program in 2019 ahead of the abbreviated 2021 spring COVID-19 season, Pistole had the Storm on the cusp of reaching the playoffs in each of the past two seasons at 4-5.

The Storm won three of their first five games in 2024, but dropped three straight to fall out of contention. In 2023, they stood 4-4 but lost their last game.

Pistole held out making his final decision, he said, because the school administration hoped he would change his mind.

He thanked the Bureau Valley administration for giving him the opportunity for his first head coaching job.

“I don’t think the Bureau Valley community really understands how amazing an administration we have with Mr. Stabler, Mr. [Duane] Price and Mr. [Philip] Pryzbyla. Whoever they hire, they’re lucky to have the support I had,” he said.

Assistants on the Storm coaching staff are Matt Wasilewski, Chris Lindsey, Matt Morman, Noel Warkins and Blayne Kappes.

The next Storm head coach will be the ninth in program history, dating to the school’s first season in 1995 with Ken Bourquin.

A 2003 Bureau Valley grad, Pistole got his start coaching under his former coach, Jason Kirby at BV, and followed him on stops at Herrin and Sherrard. He also coached at Newman. With coaching in his blood, it is doubtful Pistole has done his last coaching.

“I still have a passion for coaching, and I think I’ll get back in it,” he said. “Tate’s almost 1 now. It’s time to take a break and enjoy him for a while. I’ve either owned a fitness gym or been a coach the entire time my wife and I have been together [almost 13 years married]. I haven’t ever been just a husband and a dad, so I’m going to try that for a bit.”

Bureau Valley becomes the third Bureau County head coaching position to open since the end of the 2024 season. Logan Larsen resigned after one season at Hall to return to Pleasant Plains, his alma mater, as head coach, while Jim Eustice left St. Bede to take over as head coach at Mendota.

The St. Bede and Hall jobs remain open, although St. Bede is expected to name its new coach soon.