After 15 years of building relationships with his swimmers, Rod Horton, Skyline's head swimming coach, decided it was time to concentrate on his relationship with his family.
After 12 years with Skyline, nine state swimming titles, and nine state water polo titles Horton is moving with his career—and life—to Taylorsville High School where he'll be a vice principal next year.
The career move is bittersweet for Horton, who decided back in October that it was time to leave the program he helped establish.
"I knew it was time to move on, " Horton said, "every coach sacrifices a tremendous amount of time to be there. I knew it was time to step away from coaching."
The hours for Horton, most days 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and tireless effort in both school and club programs began to wear Horton and his family.
"I definitely felt the pressure from home (to retire). It wasn't the only reason, but it factored in." Horton said.
Horton says his lack of time at home with his four children, ages 2 to 11, and accomplishments he's already achieved favored his exit. Horton won a combined 18 state titles in swimming and water polo, 10 total titles with the boys and eight total with the girls.
"I came into this with the challenge of winning state and we did. Each title is special, but after a while it loses its appeal. The cost became too great." Horton said. "It's fun to see the team progress through the years, but it just took too much time away."
Part of building a successful high school program, he says, is building a successful club program. Triple-duty for most coaches who are already strapped for time as teachers as well.
"It's 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., guaranteed," Horton said. "It's getting there at 5:30 a.m. sometimes and while high school practice stops around 4 p.m., club goes from 4 to 6 p.m. And this is nine months out of the year."
His relationship with the individual athletes every day is what he's going to miss most, he says.
"I'll miss the kids. I got to see them sometimes more often than their parents do. The interaction with the kids is the hardest part; you just don't get that much interaction with kids as an administrator."
But it's his new increased time with his own children that he'll enjoy the most.
"I'm looking forward to this. I knew back then and I know now, I don't have any plans to go back to coaching. I'm enjoying myself."
Horton says his new position as vice principal poses the same kind of challenges he faced 15 years ago when he began as a swim coach.
"Oh I'll miss it, definitely. After building a program like that, I'm sure they'll win more championships after I'm gone, but it was time for a new set of challenges and opportunities for me."
E-mail: acole@desnews.com