Armato enjoying his return home

Former Northern Illinois women's basketball assistant coach Carl Armato left his post a month ago to become District 205 athletic director in his hometown of Rockford. Armato spent the last seven years as an assistant for the men's and women's basketball teams. Provided photo

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Carl Armato never really considered leaving DeKalb or Northern Illinois. But opportunities like the one he had in front of him usually only come around once in a lifetime. Armato left his position as assistant coach for the Huskies women's basketball team to take over as the District 205 athletic director in his hometown of Rockford last month. And despite none of the high school seasons starting yet, he's never been happier. “I really enjoy working with young adults, maybe this is my calling,” Armato said. “It's a second home for me.” Armato spent his last seven years as an assistant for the men's and women's basketball teams at NIU. Last year was his first on the women's side. Life as an assistant coach isn't always the most glamorous, and the coaching lifestyle of long-distance travel and nights away from loved ones can put a strain on anyone's life. “That was a big part of it,” Armato said. “The demands at the D-I level and the travel, it places a burden on my wife. There are a lot of missed opportunities. That's one thing I'm not going to miss. Now I can travel in the community if I go to a game. I couldn't bring them to Akron or Bowling Green or Eastern Michigan.” So when Armato was asked to speak at the Rockford Jefferson High School awards banquet in early April, he never thought it would turn into a job opportunity. “I just thought it was a good opportunity to get Northern's name out there and speak to some kids,” Armato said. “I didn't expect them to offer me a job.” Afterward, a friend who informed him that athletic director Diane Peterson was retiring approached him about the possibility of taking over for Peterson. Armato considered it and talked with the outgoing athletic director. “'I think you'd be great, send me a quick letter of interest and we'll go from there,'” Aramto said Peterson told him. It was an opportunity Armato couldn't pass up. The Rockford native, whose wife also has family in Rockford, jumped at the job when it was offered to him and moved his wife and young daughter back “home.” Now, Armato has outlined his goals for the upcoming year in his new position. “We want to provide the student-athletes with a great experience academically and socially and prepare them for the real world,” Armato said. “We want to win championships, too.” When basketball starts in November, Armato said it's going to be a little different than years past when he was on the bench; coaching players for either NIU, Rock Valley College, Rockford Boylan High School and Winnebago High School. “It is going to be weird not being on the sidelines,” Armato said. “I'll still be able to be around and go to games, so that helps.”