NEW ULM — Alan Woitas, who has been the head boys basketball coach at New Ulm Cathedral for the past 12 seasons, has stepped down from that position.

Woitas, who was a volunteer assistant for three seasons under then-head coach Paul Hazuka before taking over the reins of the basketball program, said his reasons for stepping down was being both the head boys basketball coach and also head baseball coach.

“Coaching back-to-back sports and then also being an Athletic Director takes a lot of nights away from being with the family,” Woitas said. “And I think that now is a good time to take a little step back to be around to see my kids grow up. It is a few more nights at home.”

Woitas, who also teaches mat at New Ulm Cathedral, compiled a 194-127 mark as head basketball coach, said that being a head coach in basketball and baseball — seasons that come back-to-back — gave him little time off.

“Basketball starts in the middle of November and runs right into the baseball season — baseball goes to the middle of June,” he said. “And in order to have successful programs, you have to be involved in the summer aspect too, especially on the basketball side.

“There are some well-established programs baseball-wise, but in the summer basketball you have to provide those opportunities to the kids to sustain a program. So really you look at it and it is November until August 1st where you are actively being a part of coaching a sport.”

Woitas said that his choice did not come easy.

“It was a hard decision because of the people in the program, from the players to the other coaches that I have had the opportunities to coach with and the other surrounding coaches and officials that I have developed positive relationships with,” he said. “That Is going to be the part that you are going to miss the most and especially the kids that I have had the opportunity to coach and help grow with our basketball program over the years. Those are some very special memories.”

He said that he had started thinking about this decision a few years ago.

“The last couple of years it has been on my mind,” he said. “This year was the right time to step away. We are going to have a quite-a-bit younger team next year and it is time for a new coach to come and do what they feel is best for the program and put their own mark on the basketball program moving forward.”

He said that he loves coaching both basketball and baseball.

“But the winter season is a little bit longer and baseball really has a special place for me,” Woitas said. “But I definitely want to stay involved in coaching and right now baseball made the most sense right now. And maybe there will be an opportunity to coach basketball in the future, whether that be at the elementary level, junior high level or a volunteer at the high school level. So maybe those opportunities will come about — there is time to get back into it.”