Darlene Tobler has stepped down as head coach of Ceres High School’s varsity girls volleyball program.

She informed CHS Athletic Director Shawna Nunes and Bulldog players last month.

“As much as I love coaching girls volleyball, I feel like the right thing for me to do is to be a mom,” she said. “We now live an hour away. I have one son going into junior high who will play sports, and another who is graduating from college. It doesn’t feel like a relief at all.  I love my girls and this sport so much.  I feel very sad to let girls volleyball go, but I am excited to be available to support my family.  My family is also excited to have me.”

Ceres High placed seventh with a 3-11 mark in the Western Athletic Conference this fall.

“This was a tough year for our team,” she said. “We had to overcome quite a few obstacles. I’m proud of each of my girls, with how hard they worked throughout the season to not only improve, but to grow as a team. They were wonderful examples of our program and our school.”

The Bulldogs had a combined record of 21-35 in WAC play and qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs once during Tobler’s four-year tenure as head coach.

Ceres High finished second in the conference standings (9-6) and advanced to the postseason in 2016.

The Bulldogs amassed a 5-43 record against conference opponents from 2011-14.

“There are so many things that I will miss about coaching girls volleyball, but what I will miss the most are my girls,” Tobler said. “They are very special young ladies.”

Tobler was an assistant coach at Ceres High for two seasons (2014, 2013).

She was head coach at the junior-varsity level for one year (2014).

A former Bulldog volleyball player, Tobler graduated from Ceres High in 1995.

“It has been an honor to coach girls volleyball for so many years,” Tobler said. “I have made lifelong relationships with the young ladies that I have had the privilege of coaching at the school where I played volleyball. I created lifelong relationships with my coaches.”

Tobler will continue to coach boys volleyball at Ceres High. The season will get underway this spring.

She also plans to run the annual CHS Volleyball Camp in the summer.