Joe Burch has resigned as Pella High wrestling coach.

Burch wrestled for the Little Dutch under the late Bill Van Horn, spent three years as an assistant coach while at Central College, and has been the head coach the past nine seasons.

“It’s been a part of my life, it’s my lifestyle and it’s one of the things I think about every single day. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet that next year I won’t be a part of it. At the banquet, it started to become a reality when you’re looking at the guys that will be returning and you’re thinking about next year and not being a part of it.”

Burch cited family reasons for his resignation, as his wife is pregnant with their second child. He’ll continue to be the gym teacher at Jefferson Intermediate, and plans to continue coaching eighth grade football.

Pella’s wrestling team won its first team tournament under Burch this season, the Montezuma Invitational, took second at the PCM Invitational, and capped the season with Keegan Poole’s sixth place finish at heavyweight in the class 3-A state tournament.

The search is underway for Burch’s replacement.