Durango High School girls softball head coach Mike Cioppa resigned last week after one year at the helm, DHS Athletic Director Roxanne Perrin confirmed Thursday in an email to The Durango Herald.
The Demons went 9-10 last season, including a five-game winning streak to end their regular season.
“This time of my life, I want to have more time to do the things I want to pursue,” Cioppa said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald on Thursday. “It was taking up more time than I have available. People treated me great.”
Cioppa will still help out the program on a volunteer basis next season, he just didn’t feel he had the time to devote to being a full-time coach.
“He wants to continue to work with the kids and help develop the program, just in an auxiliary role,” Perrin said in the email.
Perrin said the school will begin a search for Cioppa’s replacement “shortly.”
Cioppa replaced John Bernazzani at the start of the 2013 season.
Bernazzani went 36-59 in five years as a head coach and led the Demons to their first and only Class 4A playoff appearance in 2011.
The program began in 2000 and was coached by Monica Pirlot for one season, followed by Erik Anderson, Gary Koses, Kate Hubert, Jessica Mazlin, then Bernazzani, who had the longest and most successful tenure from 2008 to 2012.
“I am disappointed to lose him, as I felt he had much wisdom, expertise, and experience to offer, and he worked well with our JV coach,” Perrin said. “But I understand his current focus and accept his decision.”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
