2023 Northwest Herald Softball Coach of the Year: Marengo’s Rob Jasinski

Rob Jasinski wasn’t even sure if he would be able to fulfill his regular role as the assistant coach at Marengo this year after taking on a bigger role at Logisnext, a forklift factory located only a couple of miles from the school, in September.

When long-time coach Dwain Nance suffered an aortic dissection the weekend before the start of the season, Jasinski – who had coached with Nance for several years at the high school and with the Marengo-Union Girls Softball travel team – felt ready and prepared for the job.

Nance was able to return in a more limited capacity later in the season and sat regularly by the dugout to offer strategy and words of advice and encouragement to both Jasinski and players.

With Jasinski taking over head coaching duties this spring, Marengo led the area in wins, reaching 30 victories for the first time since 2017. The Indians won the Kishwaukee River Conference title with a perfect 10-0 record, securing their first conference championship in five years, and earned a regional title for the 15th time in 16 seasons.

Marengo finished 30-4 and was especially tough down the stretch, going 20-1 before losing to Rock Falls 8-2 in the Class 2A Stillman Valley Sectional final.

For helping lead Marengo to a superb season, Jasinski – whose three daughters, Allison, Rachael and Courtney, all played for the Indians and Nance – is the 2023 Northwest Herald Softball Coach of the Year. Dundee-Crown’s Matt Goetz and Huntley’s Mark Petryniec also were strongly considered for the honor.

Jasinski recently talked to sports writer Alex Kantecki about the biggest challenges of the season, winning his first varsity game, living on a farm and more.

What are you up to this summer?

Jasinski: Doing my real job now. I don’t teach, so I always left work early to go coach, and now I’m trying to play catch up and get back on track. The rest of the summer, I’m going to go watch some summer ball. I just visited my middle daughter [Rachael] in Pennsylvania. Me, my wife [Laurie] and [our youngest daughter] Courtney went out there and helped her do some remodeling on her house. I heard our 16U team won a tournament in Carol Stream last weekend. So I’ll probably go watch some games, relax and get ready for next year.

What was the biggest challenge this season?

Jasinski: I think the biggest challenge was when [pitcher] Lilly [Kunzer] got hurt early in the year and then again midseason. So just trying to figure out how to make it all work. Jozsa [Christiansen] did an outstanding job of jumping in and taking over for Lilly when Lilly was down. We also didn’t know who was going to play outfield. I thought AJ [Pollnow] did a fantastic job after being a catcher for many years. And then at the end of the year when Maddy [Christopher] got hurt, that was a real bummer. But the next kid stepped up and we just kept moving. It was really cool the way the kids embraced adversity.

What was it like stepping in as head coach?

Jasinski: As far as preparation, I felt like I was prepared for it. I’ve been coaching for almost 20 years, and I think having the support staff with my oldest daughter Allison, Taylor [Diaz] and Amanda [Hart] really helped. Plus the kids are already prepared. We prepare them all year long so they know what to do. But the strategy piece of it, that was something I didn’t have to do normally do. I’ve been an assistant under Dwain, and I understand his approach. We went with what we thought the best lineups were, and I’d say we were pretty successful. I was excited that the kids responded well to me and the other coaches. Like I said, they knew what they needed to do, and they just executed.

Who has made the biggest impression on you as a coach?

Jasinski: I’d have to say Dwain. You know, my wife and I, when the kids were small, we didn’t know anything about softball. We had a young one [Courtney] at the time, and I was coaching the older two, just learning from him and going to all his camps and eventually getting to coach with him. He really knows how to prepare kids for a season and for a game. Learning those things from him has really made me a better coach.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

Jasinski: They probably don’t know what I do for work. They probably don’t know I live on a farm and we raise chickens and ducks, and they probably don’t know we have two big English mastiffs that are 200-plus pounds each.

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, who would it be?

Jasinski: I never met my dad’s father. He passed away before my mom and dad got married, so I would like to meet him. I think he’d be cool.

Which player on your team made you laugh the most?

Jasinski: Probably Lilly [Kunzer]. She has so much energy and can be goofy at times. When they’re all together, they are quite the crew. There was never a dull moment.

What would you change about softball?

Jasinski: You know, the game is already so exciting. It’s fast paced. Honestly, I don’t think I’d change a thing. It’s such a fun sport. It’s really grabbed my heart, and I really enjoy it every day.

What was the most memorable game of the season?

Jasinski: When we won our last two games to go 10-0. When we were playing that doubleheader against Woodstock knowing we had a chance to go undefeated, which we hadn’t done in a while. Winning a conference title isn’t really the end goal. You try to win a state championship, but it was exciting for the kids to go undefeated and to know you’re the best team in the area.

What were you most proud about this season?

Jasinski: Winning a regional. That was pretty exciting. I had never won anything like that. And I kept the softball from the first game that we won. That was my first win as a varsity coach, and that one is still sitting on my desk.

What are you looking forward to most next season?

Jasinski: Returning everybody but two seniors. We should be ready for whatever the next challenge is. Bringing back Lilly and Jozsa as pitchers. We still have Kylee [Jensen] as a catcher, and we have a few kids that can fill those roles in the outfield that we’re going to miss from seniors Mia [Lulinski] and Maddy [Christopher]. I think this team’s going to be ready for another deep run.