Alcala stepping down at Gaither

During his interview with the Gaither administration a few years ago, Al Alcala said he wanted to make the Cowboys' softball program a local power. After getting the job, he did just that.

In three seasons as coach, Alcala's teams went 20-6, 23-7 and 21-8.

"I," Alcala said, "turned the program around."

On Tuesday, Alcala, 48, announced he was stepping down. The reason? The demands of his job in law enforcement for the City of Tampa simply became too great to continue coaching.

"I had a great time coaching," Alcala said. "It was a dream of a lifetime. I always wanted to be a head coach. But work has consumed me. If you're going to do a job right, you have to spend a lot of time and have the passion. To be honest to the players and true to yourself, there comes a time where someone else needs to take over."

This spring, Gaither lost at Durant in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs. In 2007, the Cowboys reached the region finals before falling to Countryside. Both teams were led by pitcher Morgan Grove, the Times' 2007 Hillsborough County player of the year.

--KEITH NIEBUHR