The decision Todd Schoeffel had to make was a bit easier the second time around.

Schoeffel, 38, stepped down as Seneca Valley girls basketball coach late last month. The resignation ends his second stint with the team, which lasted three years. He previously coached the squad from 1994 to 2002.

The coach leaves with a career record of 151-129 after 11 seasons.

The school has posted the job and is in the process of receiving applications for the opening.

"I'd like to see somebody come in who is an outstanding role model for young people," said Seneca Valley athletic director Greg Caprara. "Someone who has a strong command of the game and can teach skills so that the players have a chance to succeed."

The Raiders had all of that in Schoeffel, but the veteran coach cited health reasons for his decision to call it quits.

"I've suffered from anxiety," Schoeffel said. "And the games got to be too much."

The reasons were different when Schoeffel stepped aside the first time, following the 2001-02 campaign.

"My wife and I were having our first child at that time, and I wanted to be there to do what I could for my family," said Schoeffel.

After a one-year absence, which saw former Karns City girls coach Larry Deal guide the team, Schoeffel was back at the helm of the Raiders for the start of the 2003-04 season.

"I didn't expect to miss the game as much as I did," he said. "I enjoyed the time I had with my family, but there was something missing."

Schoeffel leaves his coaching post following SV's most successful season in four years.

The Raiders went 17-10 overall, including trips to the WPIAL Quad A quarterfinals and the PIAA tournament.

The postseason appearance came after the Raiders missed the playoffs in 2003-04 and 2004-05 with 5-19 and 13-11 records, respectively.

"It would've been harder to walk away had we not made the playoffs this past season," Schoeffel said. "But we were hoping to challenge for a section title this season and it didn't happen.

"That's what hurts, leaving without ever winning a section title or making it to the WPIAL finals, even though I know that's extremely tough to do."

Included on Schoeffel's resume are six district playoff appearances and four trips to the state playoffs.

"When I first became coach here at Seneca, I was just 25 years old," Schoeffel said. "As you get older, you realize how much it takes and the drive you need to have to get things done."

As for the Raiders program, Schoeffel believes the new coach will have a strong foundation to work with.

"Kelsey (Spencer) is a good player and Amanda Johnson is a (three-year) starter coming back," he said of the two current juniors. "(Sophomore) Jackie Mangola was able to give us some minutes off the bench last year.

"I'm sure there will be an adjustment period because of a new coach, but the cupboard is certainly not bare."

Schoeffel isn't closing the door on coming back to coach in some capacity.

"I'd like to possibly come back as an assistant coach somewhere," he said. "But the pangs to be a head coach just aren't there anymore."

Stepping down with Schoeffel is his long-time assistant Tony Clark.

"Tony's been around for a long time," said Schoeffel. "He even helped out Larry the one year I wasn't the coach.

"We put in a lot of hours here," said Schoeffel. "And I like to think we always had a pretty competitive program."