Rachel Moore leaves after 10 20-win Cleveland seasons

photo Cleveland's head coach Rachel Moore
Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Citing a desire to spend more time with her family, Rachel Moore has resigned as the Cleveland High School girls' basketball coach.

During her 12-year tenure, Moore directed the Lady Raiders to 10 20-win seasons, six Region 3-AAA championships and four trips to the state tournament. Two of her teams were nationally ranked, rising to No. 5 in 2008.

Moore, who is expecting her second child in December, had six players receive NCAA Division I scholarships.

"Any level of success that we've reached is a result of the players and coaches that we had at that time," she said. "I was really blessed to have some great kids, but also some talented skill kids."

Void of seniors and juniors, her 2010-11 team went 15-14 and lost by a point in the region semifinals. The Lady Raiders are expected to be one of the top teams in District 5-AAA in 2011-12.

"I thought this was a good time because the future of the program is so bright," Moore said. "It's hard enough to have a team with no seniors, but it was another level with no juniors or seniors on the team last year.

"I always tried to determine success on how we finish - not how far we go, but how much we improve. With that being said, whoever follows will have a good team with them. I'm as anxious to see the level of interest in this position as anyone else."

Cleveland athletic director Mike Collier said he is going to start advertising the position Monday morning.

"She's definitely made Cleveland one of the top programs in the South," Collier said. "She elevated this program to the point where whoever comes in and takes over for her will have their work cut out for them. She struggled a bit at times this year and still almost made it to the state sectionals."

Said Moore, a former Georgia point guard: "The secondary goal of a coach is to help your kids get to the next level, but I played there and wanted to do everything I could to help my players reach the individual goals of playing at the next level.

"I just hope I helped in some way."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6311. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/gh3sports.

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