After 33 seasons on the sidelines, including 17 at Franklin-Simpson High School, David Clark has decided to step away – announcing his resignation as girls’ basketball coach on Tuesday.

Clark, in his second tenure as the girls’ coach, said he felt like it was the right time to step away.

“I’ve been in coaching for 33 years and been fortunate enough to win a state championship (as an assistant with Union County in 1996),” Clark said. “In the last 20 years I guess I got what you could call my dream job, getting to come back home to Franklin. I was done in 2011, but (Principal Tim Schlosser) asked me to take it again and build it back up the way we did it before. I feel like we are about two years away. Whoever inherits this program will have a lot of talent. Help is on the way. It’s just time to do this.”

Clark retired in 2011 after nine seasons as the boys’ coach. He served as the girls’ coach the previous five seasons.

He returned to coach the girls’ team again in May 2014, guiding the Lady Cats the past three seasons.

Franklin finished 33-52 in those three seasons, but improved its win total in each season – culminating in a 15-16 record this past season. The Lady Cats picked up the first District 13 Tournament title since 2010 last month and advanced to the Region 4 Tournament, losing to eventual champion Russell County in the opening round.

Clark, who also had coaching stints at Glasgow, Allen County-Scottsville and Pineville, compiled a 276-225 record while at Franklin-Simpson.

He said this year’s district championship was perhaps the most enjoyable of his tenure.

“We ran into a very good Russell County team that went up to Northern Kentucky and did well,” Clark said. “It’s good to end it getting beat by the champs of the region. It’s time for me to step back and not be as involved, but I will be involved somehow.”{&end}