The high school basketball coaching carousel continues to spin in the Salina area.

Ell-Saline High School Head Girls’ Basketball coach Jeff Vogt announced his resignation late Thursday evening.

“It was a tough decision, but after visiting with my family, we decided that this was the right time for me to step aside,” Vogt said.  “For now, I plan to concentrate on my teaching position at Ell-Saline, while working toward finishing my Masters degree.”  By completing his Masters’ degree, Vogt would become eligible to be hired as an athletic director for any KSHSAA-affiliated school.

Vogt spent five seasons leading the Ell-Saline girls’ basketball program, compiling a 40-67 record overall, while leading Ell-Saline to the 2A sub-state championship game during a 17-win season in 2013-2014.  The Cardinals’ struggled mightily this past season, going 2-19 with a young team that, at times, featured four underclassmen in the starting lineup.

Despite the struggles last season, Vogt believes the future is bright for Ell-Saline.

“The eighth-grade class coming up, along with the seventh-grade class both have a lot of athletic potential.  Whoever steps into this role next should have a great opportunity for success in the years to come.”

While Vogt is excited for the opportunity to watch his daughter Paige (currently a sophomore at Ell-Saline) from the stands over the next two seasons, he admits that doing so as a parent rather than as a coach will be a new challenge.

“The kids have been great.  I’ve heard from many of our past graduates over the last couple days, expressing their gratitude and wishing me well.  I’ll miss the relationships you develop with your players.  That’s why you coach – to try to impact your players’ lives for the better.”