Lepper leaving the bench after 14 years with Helias girls basketball program

Helias coach Alan Lepper talks to his players before the start of the fourth quarter of a game against Jefferson City during the 2016-17 season at Rackers Fieldhouse.
Helias coach Alan Lepper talks to his players before the start of the fourth quarter of a game against Jefferson City during the 2016-17 season at Rackers Fieldhouse.

After 14 years with the program, it wasn't an easy decision for Alan Lepper.

Lepper, the head coach of the Helias Lady Crusaders basketball program the last four years after 10 years as an assistant, announced Thursday he was stepping down from his position.

"I've been thinking about it for the past couple of months," Lepper said. "When you put as much time as you have to into it and you love it so much, it's not a decision you make lightly.

"It was a prayerful process."

The Lady Crusaders advanced to the state tournament for the first time in four seasons this year, winning the Class 4 District 10 Tournament title.

"When you can go out saying you were district champs, that helps," Lepper, who was selected as the District 10 coach of the year by his peers, said. "It made a hard decision a little easier."

The Lady Crusaders' run to the postseason didn't come overnight.

"It was a combination of everybody, players and coaches," Lepper said. "There were a lot of times during the season where we could have just given up.

"But to the credit of everyone, we didn't. We continued to develop, to change things to try to get better and the kids trusted us and stuck with it and we were able to win a district title."

With Helias on its scheduled break and the uncertainty of getting together as a group, Lepper wasn't able to tell the players in person of his decision.

"I sent out a group message to them and the parents," he said. "A lot of the players and parents got back to me, wishing me well.

"They know I didn't take this decision lightly."

One of the things Lepper, a Helias graduate, will miss the most is the relationships developed with the players.

"Kids will play for you if they know you care for them and I always tried to make sure the kids knew I cared about them every time I had the opportunity," he said. "When you think abut what's really important, it's not winning and losing at the top of the list. The love of the game, the love of the school, the love of working with the kids are the most important things.

"It takes a lot of energy to do this and I found myself slowing down a little bit."

After winning the district title, Lepper said he thought the Lady Crusaders "were back on the basketball map."

And while he believes he leaves the program in better shape than when he took over four years ago, it didn't achieve all of the goals he had when he accepted the position.

"I wish I could have done more, but that's on somebody else now," Lepper said. "I'm happy with what we've done the last four years. You can always want a few more wins and a few less losses, but I think the program is in a great spot to achieve big goals."

Helias will return its two leading scorers in seniors-to-be Lindsey Byers and Kylie Bernskoetter.

Lepper, who said he is unsure if he will be part of the Lady Knights youth basketball program, hasn't given much thought if he would ever want to return to coaching.

"I have my wife, my kids, my grandson, it's going to be nice to spend more time with them," he said.

And he will still spend time with the Helias girls program.

"I will still be around for the kids supporting them," Lepper said. "It will just be from the stands instead of the bench, I just decided I didn't need to be there anymore."