Eastern’s volleyball team is without head coach Alan Segal as of Wednesday, following his resignation in which he cited a desire to pursue other professional opportunities in a press release Wednesday.

Segal, who was hired to his former position in January 2009, led the Panthers to an 11-20 record in his only season as the Panther’s head coach.

The former coach said there are numerous reasons for his decision, including the fact he wants to do many other things in his life.

“I really enjoyed my time at Eastern,” Segal said. “I really liked the team and the girls, but I have other interests in my life and other things that I’d like to do.”

If coaching is still in the cards for Segal, he said there are five to six job opportunities he has been looking at.

“I know that the University of California-Davis has a job open and the University of San Diego has a job open, and probably five or six other jobs,” Segal said.

A native of Los Angeles, the two coaching positions in Segal’s home state are attracting him, especially because they are close to his parents.

“I went to school in northern California – that’s where UC-Davis is,” Segal said. “The University of San Diego is in southern California, which is where my parents are right now.”

One attraction to possibly heading to ‘The Golden State’, said Segal, is that his parents are 80 years old, and he would be closer to them. He said he would also be near his sister, another resident of California.

Growing up in Los Angeles and coaching in Charleston may have factored into his decision, according to Segal.

“I’m not from the Midwest and Charleston is a small town, so maybe that had something to do with it too,” Segal said. “You have to be comfortable where you are.”

Segal said he enjoyed being a part of Eastern athletics, and said he really liked his team and the girls he got to coach.

“The girls were great, the team was great and the team did better this year,” Segal said. “All I want them to do is to be successful and win a lot of games next year.”

While Segal is stepping down as head coach, he said he might not choose to pursue another coaching job. Instead, he might look into returning to the hotel and restaurant business in which he spent 13 years of his life.

“I have a lot of contacts in that business and I did that for 13 years of my life,” Segal said. “I’m not really sure where I’ll be going, but I thought this was a good time for me to step down.”

Segal spent nine years of his life coaching in Savannah, GA., where he still owns a home.

“I could go down there and stay in my house there and see what I’m going to do from there,” Segal said. “You never know, I may stay in Savannah.”

According to the former head coach, his decision to leave was one that he always thought about, but the last few days confirmed his choice.

Segal said he has no timetable for making a decision regarding his future. He said a conversation with his mother led him to decide to take a few weeks of vacation after resigning.

“I think you just have to look at all the options that are out there and make the right decision,” Segal said. “I think if you make a decision blindly, then it’ll be a bad decision; but if you take time to sit down and see what’s going on, then it’ll be better.”

Segal said he thought it was the right time to leave, if he was going to leave, because of the positive direction he felt the volleyball program was going in.

“I know the girls will do well next year and I know Kate (Price), my assistant, is going to be staying there and leading them right now, and I think she’ll do a great job also,” Segal said.

Price, the assistant coach, will be in charge of the team’s everyday duties until a replacement has been hired, according to Wednesday’s press release.

Eastern’s Athletic Department declined to comment further than what was stated in the press release.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-7944 or admcnamee@eiu.edu.

Alan Segal, shown here during practice on Aug. 31, 2009, resigned after one season as volleyball head coach. Segal, who was hired in January 2009 to replace Lori Bennett, finished 11-20 in his one season as coach, including a 4-13 record in Ohio Valley Co

(more…)