Carroll out as St. Al coach|[05/19/07]

Published 12:00 am Saturday, May 19, 2007

The only girls soccer coach in St. Aloysius’ history is leaving the school.

School officials say they will not renew the contract of Karen Carroll, who has led the program since it started in 2003. Carroll was informed earlier this week of the decision. She told her players Friday.

&#8220They didn’t think the program was where it needed to be, and they wanted to go in a different direction,” said Carroll, who was named The Vicksburg Post’s 2006 Soccer Coach of the Year. &#8220I don’t have any bad feelings. Naturally, I’m disappointed they feel that way because it’s not the case, in my opinion.”

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Carroll guided the program through its infancy and helped turn a team that had only 10 healthy players during parts of its inaugural season into a playoff contender. One player, Andrea Harrison, scored 97 goals in her high school career and now plays at Mississippi State.

The Lady Flashes went 16-7-1 in 2005-06, Harrison’s senior year, and slumped to a 10-8-2 mark this season.

In her four seasons at St. Al, Carroll posted a 50-32-3 record and never had a losing season. However, playing in a Class 1A-2A-3A division that included strong teams from St. Andrew’s and Madison-St. Joe, she never managed to get St. Al into the playoffs.

St. Al Athletic Director Jim Taylor said school officials feel the program could have done better, especially at reaching playoffs. It’s time to make a change, he said.

&#8220We didn’t feel like the program was progressing the way it should, and we needed to head in a different direction,” Taylor said.

Whoever St. Al hires as Carroll’s successor will inherit a young team. The Lady Flashes roster includes only four upperclassmen, two of them seniors.

While the team’s youth helped it become progressively better during its formative years, Carroll said it may have also contributed to the perceived lack of success.

&#8220I never had half of my team being upperclassmen, and then two or three eighth- and ninth-graders,” Carroll said. &#8220I only had two or three girls older, and everybody else tagging along and being better for it.”

Despite her dismissal, Carroll says she will continue to support the Lady Flashes. She has been associated with the school both as a parent and a coach for nearly 20 years. She said she had planned to coach only a couple more years anyway.

&#8220I’m going to be there to support them, and hope they build on what they achieved,” Carroll said. &#8220I hope this program doesn’t fail.”