After two years of coaching both the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams at Dirigo High School, Gavin Kane has decided it’s time to cut his duties in half. And his decision marks the end of an era in girls’ high school varsity basketball in the state.

Kane has resigned as girls’ varsity basketball coach at Dirigo, ending a 13-year era that featured 11 Western C titles and six state championships.

He will remain as the boys’ varsity coach, a position he has held since 2005.

In an e-mail correspondence with the Sun Journal Monday night, the coach said he had been contemplating resigning for the last year but didn’t make up his mind until this past weekend.

“It happened very quickly, and I wrote my letter of resignation for our administrators on Sunday afternoon and let all of the returning players know on Sunday evening,” he wrote.

He said a number of factors, particularly time spent away from his wife, Carole, and three children, led to his decision to resign.

“There were several factors involved but most importantly, is that my family has sacrificed a great deal for a number of years now in regards to the time commitment that I have put forth for basketball and other sports,” he wrote. “When you combine that with my job and the long hours I put in at Wilson Lake Country Club, it doesn’t leave much time for my family. My kids are growing up fast, and I’m missing out on a lot that they are involved with.”

“When I finally just recently got to part of one of their rec soccer games, and thought back about missing their rec basketball games last year, then that was the deciding factor,” Kane added. “My wife has been so supportive of my coaching over the years, but she and the kids deserve more of my time. She told me the other day that our children keep asking when is dad going to be able to stay home? I’m not normally a selfish person, but I have finally realized that it’s time that I stop giving so much to other kids while I’m leaving my own children out of the picture.”

Kane, 47, compiled a 263-17 record at Dirigo, leading to the Cougars to 11-straight regional championships from 1995 to 2005 and state titles in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2005. Dirigo’s dominance also included a 124-game winning streak (136 straight over Mountain Valley Conference foes). Last February, Kane picked up his 400th career victory.

Kane took over the boys’ program in 2005, replacing Don Hebert. After nearly a decade mired in the middle and lower-ranks of the MVC, the Cougars immediately became a conference power. In 2005-06, they went 16-4 and advanced to the Western Class C semifinals. Last season, they went 19-2 and reached the brink of their first regional title since 1983 before losing to Boothbay in the Western C final.

“It is not easy to walk away from something that you have given your heart and soul to for 13 years,” Kane wrote. “This has been a painful decision for myself and for our staff. We all have a tremendous amount of pride in the girls’ program, in our school and in the community.”

Dirigo athletic director Charlie Swan could not be reached for comment Monday night.

Kane said he plans to keep his coaching staff , Matt Clark, Reggie Weston, Rebecca Fletcher and Greg Gagne, with the boys’ program this year.