photo by: Richard Gwin

Lawrence High introduced new softball coach Joe Dee Tarbutton, left, on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013. Afterward, Tarbutton met with prospective players, including Sydney Vanderbilt, right.

Throughout the summer, Joe Dee Tarbutton was wrestling with the decision to continue as Lawrence High’s softball coach.

His father died in May and he wanted to focus on his family in Maple Hill.

About three weeks ago, Tarbutton made up his mind. He informed school officials and his former players that he was resigning as the school’s softball coach after three seasons.

“I just had a lot of family things going on over the last three years,” Tarbutton said. “Both parents had passed away, I lost my dog and I was going through a divorce. All of my family lives here in Maple Hill so that was the biggest thing. It was really bittersweet. I hate leaving the kids. I hate leaving the program. But I thought it over the entire summer and just decided that would be best for right now.”

The Lions had a banner honoring Tarbutton’s late mother hanging in center field at their home field.

Tarbutton led the Lions to a 34-30 record over the past three seasons, which included a regional victory in 2015, the school’s first postseason win in four years.

Last season, the Lions finished with a 9-12 mark.

“The biggest thing that I always preached for was teamwork,” Tarbutton said. “The wins and losses, they will come along with that. The biggest thing that I hope that we can continue on is the teamwork and the leadership with the older groups.”

Tarbutton said he won’t completely walk away from the sport and will continue offering softball lessons to young players near his new home in Maple Hill (population 620).

What will he miss most from his time coaching in Lawrence?

“Oh gosh, absolutely the kids,” Tarbutton said. “I loved coaching them. I had one girl even call me up and say that she was sorry that I didn’t like coaching them. It just about took me to tears. That absolutely wasn’t it.

“I went back and forth and back and forth. It was tough.”

Lawrence athletic director Bill DeWitt said a search for Tarbutton’s replacement is underway and it will likely continue for the next several weeks.

“I’ve had some people contact me,” DeWitt said. “We’re going to leave it open for a couple of weeks and get school started. Hopefully pull those applicants around the last week of August, first week of September and try to get that nailed down pretty early in the fall so that coach can meet with the girls and get them fall schedules and that kind of thing.”