Kirk Lorigan had a difficult decision to make.

Should he take a job as an administrator in another school district and spend more time with his family, or stay on as Freeport High School girls basketball coach?

He chose to become the assistant principal at Elderton High School in the Armstrong County School District, leaving behind a Yellowjackets' program that advanced to the WPIAL final last year.

"It was emotional," said Lorigan, who lives in Kittanning. "It was definitely hands-down the toughest decision I've had to make in my eight years of teaching and coaching."

Lorigan, 29, said he couldn't pass up the opportunity, not only for his professional career, but also for his family.

"It was the right move for me to make, especially from a professional standpoint," he said.

"I'm going to miss (coaching)," Lorigan added. "I love basketball tremendously. It's been a passion of mine since I can remember, but I'm definitely not going to miss leaving my 4-year-old daughter, who wants to play with her toys with me two days after Christmas, to play a basketball game."

Lorigan took over in the 2002-2003 season for Tom Saulle, who won 299 games at Freeport. He was Saulle's assistant for five years before assuming the position.

During his first year, Lorigan led the Yellowjackets to an 18-5 record and a WPIAL playoff berth.

Last year, Freeport advanced to the WPIAL final, losing to Carlynton, 42-20.

In two seasons as coach, Lorigan posted a 41-10 record.

"It was a great time in my life," Lorigan said. "I was fulfilling a lifelong dream."

That made the decision to leave even more wrenching for Lorigan.

"I wasn't 100 percent sure I was ready to give that up," Lorigan said.

But he did.

Two weeks ago, he found out he was hired at Elderton and gathered his players after school to deliver the news.

"It was very, very emotional," Lorigan said. "We played a lot of games this summer and there were a lot of tears. I told them don't cry because it is over, but smile because of what we did."

Lorigan, who started his new job at Elderton Monday, was also concerned about the late date in which he was leaving the program.

Freeport played 46 games during the summer to prepare for the upcoming season, which begins in a little more than a month.

"That was one thing that weighed on my mind," Lorigan said. "I had no intention of leaving, but the job popped up and it all kind of panned out."

The search for a new coach has already begun and a replacement could be named as early as this week.

Lorigan, though, hasn't ruled out coaching again, even though the Armstrong County School District prohibits its administrators from being head coaches.

But the time he will get with his young family is priceless, he said.

"My 4-year-old is starting gymnastics," Lorigan said. "And to be able to go watch her do that is pretty special."