The athletic director at Durango High School 9-R has resigned, a year after she arrived from Mesa, Ariz., where she held a similar position.

Roxanne Perrin, who succeeded Sheldon Keresey, plans to return to her home state, a District 9-R news release said Tuesday.

Perrin’s departure follows a pattern of high turnover among head coaches during the last few years, in which more than a dozen varsity head coaches have parted ways since December 2011.

This fall, the Durango Demons rolled out five new head coaches.

This winter, they had one new head coach and one coach in her first full-time assignment.

This spring, they have two new head coaches.

District officials and principals have shrugged off the regular turnover, saying coaches leave for individual reasons, including the high-time commitment, frequent travel and low pay. Coaches have cited burnout brought about by lengthy travel, lippy parents, long hours, low pay and differing views from administrators.

“Roxanne is a respected leader in the realm of athletics, and we appreciate her contributions to our athletic programs this past school year,” Durango High School Principal Leanne Garcia said in a statement.

Efforts to reach Perrin for comment were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Perrin oversaw all athletics at the high school as well as contributing oversight of program design, implementation and growth.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to resign my position,” Perrin said in the release. “This move is motivated primarily by my desire to return to my home and family in Arizona. I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure at Durango High School.”

Perrin earned a degree in English from Yale, where she played basketball. She worked in marketing and sales for 20 years before getting a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix to pursue a teaching career.

Perrin taught English and was assistant principal and athletic director for the Mesa Public School System when she was hired by DHS.

daler@durangoherald.com