MADISON TWP. — Steve Poff, who led the Madison High School football team to new heights the last two years, has resigned after five seasons.
Poff, who was 42-15 at Madison, guided the Mohawks to back-to-back state playoff berths in 2017 and 2018. The Mohawks advanced to the Division V state semifinals in 2017 in their first-ever playoff appearance. Madison fell in the D-V regional finals this season.
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Madison Local Schools announced the news on its Facebook page on Sunday. Included in the post was a statement from Poff’s resignation letter:
“As a head coach, I believe in the centrality of investing my entire heart into my team and my program. During my career at Madison, I have strived to continuously exemplify this dedication and to bring my full self to all work performed. Unfortunately, I have reached a mental and emotional turning point, and I feel I cannot continue maintaining this level of dedication. I do not believe in good conscience that I can expect my players to fully commit if I cannot do the same for them. Therefore, rather than cheat and disappoint future players with wavering emotional investment, I have chosen to resign.
“To reach this conclusion is heartbreaking. For my family and I, it truly marks the end of an era. However, my belief in the power of commitment stands firm, as well as my belief in the Madison community and athletics programs. While this marks the end of an era for the Poffs, it should not mark the end of an era for Mohawk football.
“I considered two families when making this decision; the first being my wife and children, and the second being my acquired football family — players, parents, coaches, staff, and volunteers. This decision is best for both of my families. Their support, as well as the support of the administration and community, has been amazing during my time as head coach. None of our success would have been possible without their love, tenacity, and sacrifice.”
A 1992 Madison grad, Poff was an assistant coach for the Mohawks for three seasons before taking over the program in 2014.
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