Coach Pendleton announced Monday that this will be his final season coaching basketball. In his resignation e-mail Pendleton said he lost some of the passion he has always had for coaching after winning a state championship last year.

In an interview with the Courier-Journal, Pendleton explained his decision. “About a month ago I started to realize I didn’t have the passion I used to have,” he said. “This is the first year I’ve ever looked at my watch in practice, wondering what time it is. … I’m not scouting or working as hard as I did in the past. When you lose that desire and passion, it’s time to give it up.”

According to the Courier-Journal,  Pendleton has been the Manual girls basketball coach for nine seasons with a combined record of 225-53 while at Manual. Last season, Pendleton won Manual their first ever girls basketball state championship with a 37-2 record on the season. Pendleton believes his team has the chance to repeat and would love to go out on top.

Senior player Morgan Allen said she was not surprised about Coach Pendleton’s decision. “You could tell he was not as into it as he used to be, just not as intense,” said Allen. Allen added that she thinks it will be pretty cool to share her final season with Coach P. “Coach P talked to all of the seniors abut how we need to finish strong together and leave a mark,” Allen said.

Athletic director David Zuberer has been very pleased with the job that Pendleton has done here at Manual. “Coach P took one of the best programs in the state and won them their first ever state championship, he pushed them over the top,” Zuberer said. Zuberer added that Manual has always been known as a powerhouse in girls basketball and many people were surprised last year when finding out it was Manual’s first ever state championship. For a new coach, Zuberer says the search will start after the season.

Pendleton will be remembered as a coach who extremely cares about all of his players.  It was an emotional decision for Coach Pendleton and he explained that to the Courier Journal. “I was talking to them and started crying and had my head in my hands,” Pendleton said. “Then all of a sudden I feel them all giving me a big hug. It was the sweetest thing that they did that.”

Pendleton plans to stay at Manual as a teacher and eventually wants to go into administration.