WTVM AUBURN, AL – Auburn Head Coach Matt Cimo announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season, capping an extraordinary career devoted to the game of baseball that spanned several decades.
Following that declaration, Sports Leader 9 spoke with the head coach to learn more about his positive experiences at Auburn High and the qualities his players will miss most about him.
“Well, I’ve had a lot of luck with baseball. Growing up, I mean, I was always a basketball kid. As you are aware, I played baseball in college and was fortunate enough to spend nine years in the minor leagues. After that, I was fortunate enough to work at Auburn High School for my first and only employment. It’s been an incredibly fulfilling, humbling, and blessed experience, and you know I’m going to really, truly miss it. “It’s going to be difficult to leave,” stated Auburn High baseball head coach Matt Cimo.
Since this is Coach’s final year, a number of his players have banded together to make it a great one in order to send their coach out on top.
“I mean we just, there’s a way Cimo does it that’s different than everyone else you know. People might call him crazy, but it’s just Cimo magic,” Seth Payne, an Auburn High senior shortstop said.
Even though Cimo plans to leave after this season, he’s not done yet. He just led his team to a major series win against the highly-rated Central Red Devils. One of his guys says it was the pregame speech that set the tone.
“He just started telling a story, and we were like what where is this going? And then he ended it with just a kicker and we were just all hyped up and ready to go. It was the most Cimo thing you could ever say. It was awesome,” Payne said.
Cimo has a few great memories, but one stands out to him more than the others.
“My son and the team winning back-to-back state titles is one of the most memorable moments.” To me, that meant a great deal. to be able to mentor my son and lead our team to a state title. You know, that was probably my greatest moment. But every year has been so full of highs and lows for me. There are just too many to list, Cimo remarked.
Currently sitting at 22-9 for the season, the Auburn High Tigers are rated second in the 7A Area 4 division.
