PAXTON — Lindsey Alred resigned Wednesday night from her post as the Paxton-Buckley-Loda varsity softball coach after a six-year run at the helm.

Alred resigned for personal reasons, she said. Her resignation was accepted by the school board at Wednesday’s meeting.

“Coaching softball at PBL meant a lot to me,” Alred said. “I worked with wonderful girls, and their families were always very supportive. I wish them nothing but the best in the future.”

Alred will remain in her teaching position at PBL Junior High and will continue coaching the junior high softball team as well. Still, it was a difficult decision for her and one that she “put a lot of thought into” and went back and forth on over the summer, she said.

“I’ll miss those daily interactions with the girls and miss celebrating their successes with them,” Alred said. “My veins will always bleed blue and gold.”

In her six years, Alred led PBL to a pair of regional championships, one this past spring and one in 2010. The Panthers had the best season of her tenure this past spring, going 24-9, finishing second in the Sangamon Valley Conference and reaching the sectional semifinals.

The vacant coaching position is being advertised on the school district’s website, and the hope is to hire will be made by the start of school in August, PBL superitendent Cliff McClure said. However, PBL already filled all its teaching positions at the high school without planning to fill the softball coaching position, principal Trent Eshleman said, so it may prove to be a longer process as school officials search for a replacement.

“We’ll see what interests are out there from internal and beyond,” Eshleman said. “It’s unfortunate to lose Lindsey in that role.”