Leo Vitali came to Mahomet in 1957 and went on to set the standard in coaching for those before him and those to come.

Leo was a 3-sport athlete at Taylorville High School and a running back and track athlete while attending Millikin University in Decatur.

At the age of 27, Coach Vitali took over the M-S football program and never had a losing season. He led the school to a state record 33 consecutive wins. During those 33 games, 15 were by shutouts and in 9 others, the Bulldogs allowed no more than one TD. In all, Vitali coached Mahomet and Mahomet-Seymour football for 8 years, compiling a 56-7-2 overall record.

Coach Vitali taught History, Social Studies, Physical Education, Driver’s Education, and served as the M-S Athletic Director.

In 1959, Coach Vitali became the Head Basketball Coach. His cumulative record for 6 years was 116-37. He had a four year stretch that produced 87 wins, matched only by the class of 2018 for 4 consecutive seasons.

Coach Vitali was also the Head Track and Field Coach with many of his teams establishing numerous school records.

He left M-S for St. Charles, Illinois where he was the head football coach for 14 years. He coached his son Mark at the Quarterback position. Mark went on to be a 3 year letter winner at Purdue University and was a 10th round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. In 1983, Coach Vitali was selected into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

After he retired from coaching football, Vitali went on to coach the St. Charles Golf team for 9 years and won State Championships in 1984 and 1987.

Leo and his wife Betty had 5 children. Coach Vitali passed away in 2017. M-S Graduates that were here during coach Vitali’s era will tell you that it was the golden years for athletics in the district.

Coach Leo Vitali’s outstanding winning record was only bested in his ability to develop the character in the young men he coached. A plethora of his athletes remember him with the greatest admiration and credit him with much of the success they enjoyed later in their lives. Coach Leo Vitali, gone, but never forgotten.