SCOTT — Catherine Cassidy has always loved athletics and there isn’t a sport she has loved more than the game of basketball.

In fact, the only things more important to her than basketball in which she played and coached for the vast majority of her life, is family, students and academics.

Although her players were hurt emotionally by her announcement, the people closest to Cassidy weren’t the least bit surprised when she accepted the assistant principal position at Acadiana High and stepped down as the Lady Rams’ head basketball coach.

"First of all, I needed to make a change for me," Cassidy said. "I’m ready to be intellectually challenged on a different level."

In addition to being challenged intellectually, Cassidy has always wanted to one day become an administrator and even more than that longed for the opportunity to have more time to spend with her almost eight-year-old daughter Gracie.

"When I told Gracie that I was going talk to the team and let them know about my decision, she asked me ‘So does that mean I won’t get to see the players anymore?’" Cassidy recalled. "It was at that moment that I realized not only has this team been a part of my life, but they’ve been a large part of her life as well. But this is the right time. It’s the right decision for me and my daughter. As an administrator I will have more of an opportunity for her as she grows up."

While some may ask why Cassidy couldn’t perform her new duties as an assistant principal and continue coaching the basketball team like for instance Alton Allen at Crowley High does, she stated it wasn’t in the best interest for the students.

"With having so much to learn in the administration world, I wouldn’t even begin to stretch myself into doing both, because I don’t know what the position entails," Cassidy said. "I think I’ll be in a good position where I can still serve as a mentor for the girls and even the new coach if need be, but as for the day-to-day operations of the program that needs to belong to someone else."

Cassidy, who leaves coaching at 14 years including 12 at Acadiana, doesn’t expect the transition away from the gym to an office to be easy.

"I love the game of basketball and I really can’t see myself getting away from it completely," Cassidy said. "Maybe I can serve as a mentor for the new coach if need be, continue to serve as a mentor for the players or I may coach my daughter because there were times where she wanted to play Biddy, but couldn’t because I was coaching."

Although no successor has been named as the Lady Rams have posted the position and are accepting applications, Cassidy is confident whoever gets the job will walk into a playoff ready team.

"This year will be the first-year that they will make the playoffs in a long time," Cassidy said. "Whoever gets the job will be walking into a successful situation. The position is open now and will remain open for the allotted time, but we want to have someone hired before the start of school. We want them in here and ready to hit the ground running."

Follow prep editor Eric Narcisse on Twitter

@tdanarcisse.

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