SLIPPERY ROCK — Dan Hindman called it one of the toughest decisions he has ever had to make.

But it was one he felt he had to make.

Hindman stepped down as the Butler softball coach last week to take the same job at Slippery Rock High.

Hindman spent three years as the Golden Tornado coach, posting a 21-32 record. Butler was 9-11 last season and won five of its last six games.

“We were making progress,” Hindman said. “This year was the year that the fruits of the labor would show itself.”

Hindman won’t be there to see the yield.

Instead he will take over a Slippery Rock program coming off a one-win season.

Hindman, a Harrisville native, said the move was completely family motivated.

His daughter, Cheyenne, is in the eighth grade in the Slippery Rock school district and is a standout pitcher.

“It was definitely something on my mind that I would be coaching another team when she would be playing for someone else in high school,” Hindman said. “More importantly, I want to try to build something competitive in Slippery Rock.”

Hindman did in Moniteau, his first coaching stop. In his eight years leading the Warriors, he never had a losing record as his teams won two District 9 championships.

With a resume like that, Slippery Rock athletic direct John Osborne said the district couldn’t pass on a coach with his credentials.

“We are happy that we were able to find someone with so much experience that was interested in our position,” Osborne said.

In addition to being able to eventually coach his daughter, the commute time from Harrisville to Slippery Rock will be much shorter than his travel to Butler.

“I can put more time in than I could at Butler,” Hindman said.

“It was just very difficult to leave Butler,” Hindman added. “It was very difficult to tell the athletes, the parents, the athletic director at Butler that I was leaving. I just thought it was in my family’s best interest to make this move at this time.”

Hindman takes over for Elma Anschutz, who spent two seasons as the Rockets’ coach.

Slippery Rock has some young, talented players returning.

Hindman said he hopes to get some older players to come out for the team as well. He also plans to be there for awhile. Hindman is the Rockets’ fifth coach in the last 10 years.

“It’s huge to have stability,” Hindman said. “That’s why I’m not going to rush into hiring assistants. I want people involved. I want the community involved.”