Bob Cilento retiring after 46 years as teacher, coach and athletic director

A Thursday night fracas during a basketball game at the Big House was followed by a Friday morning job posting for a new Cape Henlopen High School athletic director. 

Current Cape Athletic Director Bob Cilento said, “A few people called me and asked, ‘Did you get fired? It wasn’t your fault. What’s wrong with those people?’” 

“My decision to retire was made months ago, and the [school] board had accepted my letter. The two events are not related,” Cilento said with a smile. “At least I hope not.” 

Cilento is finishing his 46th uninterrupted year in public education as a teacher and coach, and later as athletic director.

Bob came to Cape in 2007 after retiring from 33 years as a teacher and coach in Montgomery County, Md. 

During his 14-year tenure at Cape, the athletic program of the Vikings has garnered 25 state titles, including 11 in girls’ lacrosse, eight in field hockey, two in girls’ track and field, one in baseball and three in boys’ lacrosse. 

”We have a chance for a few more before I retire to home and beach just a mile away,” he said. 

The Cape athletic director’s job requires energy and executive-level skills, but pays on a teacher’s scale. Any administrator taking the job would also take a cut in pay. 

“Ideally, the job should also have a game manager; no one is going to attend all the games I did,” Bob said matter-of-factly. “And Beacon and Mariner each have full-blown athletic programs. There is a lot to the job.” 

Bob was the team and family guy in his role as overseer of 23 interscholastic sports.

“Bob left you alone to do your job, and if you needed help, he was there,” said veteran coach Debbie Windett. “He knows all the kids and the competition. I know he was really excited any time Cape won a championship.”

Before coming to Cape, Cilento was athletic director at Sherwood High School 2000-07, during which time the school won state championships in football, soccer, volleyball and basketball. 

He served as head basketball coach at Springbrook High from 1992-2000 after working as an assistant coach from 1981-92. 

Bob’s wife Barbara is a school nurse at the high school and is not retiring. 

Several big events thrived at Cape under Cilento’s watch, including the return of Slam Dunk to the Beach, the DIAA Individual Wrestling Championships, the Beach Blast Lacrosse Tournament and middle school track carnivals. 

All the banners inside the gym, the championship signs in stadiums, two Bermuda fields with irrigation, and Bermuda grass in the baseball outfield all happened during Cilento‘s tenure.  

Bob has been a member of the DIAA board of directors for the past five years. He is also on the DIAA baseball committee. He has been president of the Henlopen Conference ADs for the past several years.  

Bob and Barbara have three children. His son Patrick is the head football coach at the Bullis School in Maryland, Billy is associate head baseball coach at Wake Forest University, and Kristin is a lawyer in Baltimore. The Cilentos have eight grandchildren.

“I’m a little tired and think it’s the right time to go,” Bob said. “I thought I would go for 50 but decided to shelve that idea.” 

Cape is accepting applications at this time.