When Jim Tsenes began teaching physical education and driver’s education for Morton High School, he said his main goal was to coach the baseball team.

Tsenes eventually earned his aspirations by working in the Mustangs’ baseball program for 14 years, with seven of those seasons as head coach of the varsity.

But the seventh year of being in charge of the varsity ended up being his last as the 38-year-old submitted a letter of resignation on Oct. 4.

He will continue teaching at Morton and will also continue his role as an assistant coach for the boy’s varsity soccer team.

Tsenes attributed the decision to a time-commitment factor. He will be helping his family run Durbin’s Restaurant and Lounge in Chicago Ridge while becoming more involved in watching his three daughters compete in sports.

“If I can’t give these guys 100 percent of my time, then it’s not fair to them,” said Tsenes of this upcoming spring’s varsity baseball team. “Coaching baseball at this level is a 10 month out of the year job. I struggled with the decision for the last two years. I’m sad about it and I may regret it, but it’s the right move for my family. I love coaching baseball and whoever takes over will have a good team.”

Tsenes suggested current varsity assistant Scott Horodecki as a logical replacement. Horodecki is a Cicero resident and played catcher for Morton during its last sectional title run in 1994. He went on to play baseball at Morton College for two seasons and eventually played two more seasons at Chicago State University.

“Scott (Horodecki) would be an excellent choice,” Tsenes said. “He knows the program and he knows the community.”