LTCC men’s soccer coach resigns

Ben Wade, ex-Lake Tahoe Community College men’s soccer coach, has officially resigned.

“After speaking with you today I would like to turn in my resignation as both the director of outreach and equity as well as the head men’s soccer coach. I just do not have time to commit to both jobs, the commute from Susanville, and put in the hours that it takes to be a great father and husband,” Wade said in a Nov. 16 letter to college President Kindred Murillo.

Ben Wade

In what Wade calls a press release about the resignation that he sent to Lake Tahoe News on Nov. 21 it says he is retiring completely from collegiate coaching after 20 years.

“The timing is never right to step down from a program but I feel at peace with my decision,” he wrote.

In an email to LTN he said, “The fact that I have put my family first over my personal satisfaction and adrenaline of winning championships should be noted. I believe it is a most worthy and noble act.”

What exactly transpired to cause the college to remove Wade from his coaching and academic duties has never been disclosed, with the school saying it is a personnel matter and therefore confidential.

Wade had told Lake Tahoe News he was escorted off campus Nov. 5, but is now saying his assistant coaches led him off campus. In that same article Wade said he had no idea why he was being put on leave.

“There was confusion, there was obviously some anger on my part when I realized it was not in the best interest of my family or LTCC to finish out the rest of the season. The closed session dealt with my Equity job, not soccer. Two weeks prior I had spoken to administration about terminating the Equity position so that I could pursue a recruiting director position,” Wade told LTN in an email.

Murillo was not immediately available for comment. The resignation is expected to be on the college board’s Dec. 8 agenda.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report