Montana soccer coach Betsy Duerksen announces resignation
11/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
University of Montana athletic director Wayne Hogan announced Wednesday that Betsy Duerksen has resigned as coach of the Grizzly soccer program. Duerksen, the only coach in Montana soccer's 10-year history, led the Griz to an 8-11-2 record and a spot in the Big Sky Conference Championship game this fall.
"It's tough when you lose a person who not only has maintained a quality program, but in this case we lose someone who literally founded a program and built it from the ground up," Hogan said. "Betsy Duerksen is Montana soccer."
Duerksen said that her decision to resign was a result of her two passions conflicting with each other - coaching soccer and spending time with her family. Duerksen has three children ranging in ages from two to nine. She said that she didn't see one of her five-year-old daughter's soccer games or practices this year, and that the constant time Duerksen was spending away from her family led her to resign.
"Coaching is a job that primarily happens on the weekends and after school and it was clashing with my other passion, which is my kids," Duerksen said. "Ten years down the road, if I miss all of my kids' stuff, I'll really regret it. It was a hard decision, but I am really excited to get to spend more time with my kids."
Duerksen leaves Montana as one of the most successful coaches of any sport in Grizzly history. Hired in 1994 to coach a fledgling Griz soccer program, Duerksen guided that team to a 7-8-0 record in the program's first year. From there, under Duerksen's direction, the soccer team flourished. Montana posted a 12-7-0 record in 1995, the first of six consecutive seasons of 12 wins or more. Montana won three Big Sky Conference Tournament titles under Duerksen, and played for the title two other times, including this season's 1-0 loss to Idaho State. The Grizzlies advanced to the NCAA College Cup tournament two times, and made it to the second round in 2000, capping a 16-5-1 campaign, Montana's most successful season. Duerksen's 33-9-2 record in Big Sky matches is the best in Big Sky Conference history, and her 161 wins are the most in Big Sky Conference history as well. Duerksen's career record is 161-89-10 in 13 years of coaching.
Despite her success as a coach, Duerksen said the most difficult part of resigning will be leaving the players and her coaching staff.
"We have a great group of returning players who are good people, and that is the hardest part of this decision, along with leaving my assistants, but they know me well enough to know that my children are really important to me," Duerksen said. "I completely enjoyed working at the University."
Hogan said that associate athletic director Marie Porter will head the search for a replacement, and that he hopes to have a successor named by the time the spring semester starts on January 26.
"It's tough when you lose a person who not only has maintained a quality program, but in this case we lose someone who literally founded a program and built it from the ground up," Hogan said. "Betsy Duerksen is Montana soccer."
Duerksen said that her decision to resign was a result of her two passions conflicting with each other - coaching soccer and spending time with her family. Duerksen has three children ranging in ages from two to nine. She said that she didn't see one of her five-year-old daughter's soccer games or practices this year, and that the constant time Duerksen was spending away from her family led her to resign.
"Coaching is a job that primarily happens on the weekends and after school and it was clashing with my other passion, which is my kids," Duerksen said. "Ten years down the road, if I miss all of my kids' stuff, I'll really regret it. It was a hard decision, but I am really excited to get to spend more time with my kids."
Duerksen leaves Montana as one of the most successful coaches of any sport in Grizzly history. Hired in 1994 to coach a fledgling Griz soccer program, Duerksen guided that team to a 7-8-0 record in the program's first year. From there, under Duerksen's direction, the soccer team flourished. Montana posted a 12-7-0 record in 1995, the first of six consecutive seasons of 12 wins or more. Montana won three Big Sky Conference Tournament titles under Duerksen, and played for the title two other times, including this season's 1-0 loss to Idaho State. The Grizzlies advanced to the NCAA College Cup tournament two times, and made it to the second round in 2000, capping a 16-5-1 campaign, Montana's most successful season. Duerksen's 33-9-2 record in Big Sky matches is the best in Big Sky Conference history, and her 161 wins are the most in Big Sky Conference history as well. Duerksen's career record is 161-89-10 in 13 years of coaching.
Despite her success as a coach, Duerksen said the most difficult part of resigning will be leaving the players and her coaching staff.
"We have a great group of returning players who are good people, and that is the hardest part of this decision, along with leaving my assistants, but they know me well enough to know that my children are really important to me," Duerksen said. "I completely enjoyed working at the University."
Hogan said that associate athletic director Marie Porter will head the search for a replacement, and that he hopes to have a successor named by the time the spring semester starts on January 26.
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