Alan Bush resigns as Siegel girls basketball coach

Siegel High School is looking for a new girls basketball coach after Alan Bush resigned Tuesday afternoon.

Bush, one of the longest-tenured basketball coaches in the area, was the only head coach Siegel's girls have had since the school opened in 2003. He previously coached the boys team in Cannon County and spent a year at Riverdale as an assistant.

"It's a couple of reasons," said Bush, on the decision to resign. "I want to be able to watch my son (MTCS sophomore Riley Bush) play a little bit. (Siegel) needs a new face to try to get the program going again.

"We've obviously struggled a little bit (wins and losses), but not with the quality of kids we've had here."

Bush, a physical education teacher, will stay on the Siegel staff.

"He's a great Siegel Star and has been here since the school opened...we're excited to have him stay," Principal Larry Creasy said. "There's not a finer person."

Siegel has struggled both overall and in District 7-AAA over the past few seasons. The Lady Stars finished 24-8 overall (6-4 in the district) and reached the region semifinals during the 2010-11 season.

This past season Siegel went 4-22.

The team's best season under Bush came in 2005-06 when the Lady Stars went 12-2 in league play, 26-8 overall, but fell to Shelbyville in the region semifinals.

During one stretch Bush led Siegel to seven consecutive winning seasons.

Creasy said the school would begin the search and could have someone in place within a month or so.

"We still have a little time," he said. "We'll post it on TSSAA and go from there."

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.