An iconic figure at Rockville High School is stepping down from one of the two positions he is best known for.
Art Wheelock, who has coached baseball for 41 years and spent 36 of them at the varsity helm, announced on Tuesday that he would not be coaching the 2014 season.
"It will not be easy after all these years, but it's the right thing to do," Wheelock said on Tuesday afternoon of his retirement, just before he was to meet with Ram baseball players.
"I have had a lot of energy over the years, but I am physically unable to do what I want to do," he added. "I'm not dying, but after all these years I am not able to perform certain things like I want to."
Wheelock is 63 and says as of now, he is still going to teach physical education at RHS.
"One more year at most, but I have not made that final decision," he said. "It is going to be difficult not being with the kids."
He also coached football for 32 years and girls basketball for a decade-and-a-half.
But it was baseball that he seemed to shine at. He won a state championship in 2000.
He has been named state coach of the year and was a finalist for national coach of the year.
In 1988, he started a pee wee baseball program for the Junior Womens' Club that was recognized nationally.
His final record will read 433-325.
"Unbelievable … that's one word to describe Art," said Greg Caron, a former player and current assistant coach. "The guy has had an incredible run - a lot of success and lot of great things have happened. It became part of his life and stepping down is very difficult for him."
Wheelock credited family support for his enjoyment of the game. His wife, Diane, said said family members were at most games and remembers their son, Nick, being picked up by NFL great Bill Romanowski when he was young. Romanowski was a catcher at RHS when he was not playing football.
Nick became a catcher and is now a coach.
Caron is not only a coach, but she shares an office with Wheelock.
"He inspired me to be a phys ed teacher and now I get to spend time with him in the same office," Caron said. "It's crazy."
Wheelock said he will always be proud of the RHS program.
"I have been blessed with all these great athletes - the kids we had," Wheelock said. "They were caring kids - it was not not just baseball."
Wheelock is anticipating the birth of his second grandchild and knows he will look forward to fewer time constraints.
"If he says time, it's time," Diane said.
"But I feel good about it," Art insisted. "I have a lot of great memories."
And so does Rockville High.
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