[6/7/03]Randy Wright had been pondering his future for months. One day, he was leaning toward retiring as baseball coach at Porters Chapel Academy. The next, he wanted to stay.

One minute, the desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter would win out. A few minutes later, another of his life’s passions, baseball, would start to tempt him again.

After several months of flip-flopping, Wright finally had to make a decision. It wasn’t easy, but the two-time Vicksburg Post Coach of the Year decided to stay at PCA.

“I feel like I’ve really built a strong program at Porters Chapel, and I’m not ready to give it up. I’m not ready to turn it over to somebody else,” Wright said.

Privately, Wright was sending a different message before the season. After seven years at the helm of the Eagles, he was ready to give up coaching after the 2003 season.

Wright has a young daughter he wanted to spend time with, and his coaching duties often prevent that. Coaching has also put a heavier workload on his father, who operates a restaurant in Vicksburg. Giving it up would allow the younger Wright to spend more time working at the family business.

As the season went on, however, and PCA closed in on its first state title, Wright began to waver.

“It was a very enjoyable year and a very successful year, and I started to get the feeling I might want to come back,” Wright said.

Word had gotten out about Wright’s desire to step aside, though, and by this week phone calls from parents, players, and school officials and board members were coming non-stop.

Wright talked with his family on Thursday, and made the decision to stay by Friday morning. He said his family supported the decision.

“My family was 100 percent supportive. My wife was behind me, and I have to thank her for that. My dad also has supported me 100 percent,” Wright said, adding that on a scale of 1 to 10, the decision was as hard as it gets. “Ten, without a doubt. It was a very difficult decision. I have been absolutely agonizing over the last couple of months about it, staying or going.”

PCA pitcher Ryan Hoben was glad Wright was staying.

“I’m the happiest man in the world,” Hoben said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to practice for anybody else.”