Lisa Correa has stepped down as Bowling Green High School softball coach, ending an eight-year run as head coach for the program.

Correa, who will remain the head coach for the Bowling Green girls’ soccer team, said she enjoyed staying busy and loved being around the kids but couldn’t balance the time between softball and family.

“It was a tough decision,” Correa said. “I really enjoyed coaching softball. The kids are great.  The parents are awesome. We’ve had a lot of support, but with my children being involved in more activities I was kind of being pulled away. My daughter is playing soccer on her SKY Academy team, so that has taken me in two different directions. I really felt like I needed to spend more time with my family.”

Correa took over at BG in 2009, with the Lady Purples going 145-103 in that span. Bowling Green won the District 14 Tournament in 2011 and 2012 and advanced to the Region 4 tournament three straight seasons from 2011-13.

The Lady Purples made it to the Region 4 title game in 2011– losing to eventual state champion Allen County-Scottsville – and finished 30-6-1 in 2012.

Former Lady Purples Brittany Vaughn and Kathryn Downing are both on the Western Kentucky University softball roster.

“When I took over the program, we had some great kids and a few soccer kids came over to join the softball team,” Correa said. “We only had a few travel players and the rest were other players from other sports that decided to get back into softball.  It was a good fit, so that gave us a little success.

“Of course, our region was very difficult. Whoever won the region those first few years I was coaching turned out to win the state championship.”

Bowling Green finished 6-22 last season, playing with a roster that consisted of four high school players – 1 senior.  The rest of the roster came from the middle school.

Correa said those young players should provide a strong core for the next BG softball coach.

“The middle schoolers that are coming up play a lot of travel ball,” Correa said. “This group coming up will do very well. They are great kids. I feel confident that whoever takes over the program will really enjoy working with that team.”

— Follow Bowling Green Hot Rods reporter Micheal Compton on Twitter @mcompton428 or visit bgdailynews.com.