The winningest prep boys lacrosse coach in the state is stepping down from his post on the varsity sidelines.

Longtime Mercer Island coach Ian O’Hearn will transition from high school to middle school lacrosse as he takes over coaching duties for the seventh/eighth grade youth team.

O’Hearn told the Reporter the decision to step away was 100 percent about family obligations. A father of two young daughters, the move provides a schedule that doesn’t require him to arrive home after 11 p.m. every night. He will remain as program director for the Mercer Island Lacrosse Club.

“This was the most difficult decision I’ve made in my coaching career,” O’Hearn said in a release sent out to lacrosse parents. “I’ve loved everything about working with these players over the years. It’s very tough to leave. But our high school program is strong, full of talent top to bottom with great support from the community. And I look forward to focusing on the entire K-12 program and developing the younger players.”

In 14 seasons as head coach of the Islanders, O’Hearn led Mercer Island to 11 championship contests, winning five. His record of 252 wins and 57 losses was good for most wins in the state of Washington at the high school level by last season’s end.

O’Hearn said he knew after the Islanders won their sixth state championship last spring that he’d be stepping down the following season. Though he didn’t alert his players until last month, partly because he wanted to make sure the program got the right coach to be his successor. He said while his players were initially upset, they appeared to embrace the situation. In new coach Chris Long, the senior Islander players were reunited with their freshmen team coach.

Dating back to 2000, Long has coached in various roles within the program. His stints include coaching the seventh/eighth grade youth team last season and as a varsity assistant with O’Hearn.

“The only person that could continue on at the same intensity level and skill level was Chris Long,” O’Hearn said of his replacement. “He’s been in our program a long time, he was the perfect fit. With all the things that were pulling me in different directions, he’ll have far more emotional energy to take the team as far as they can go.”

O’Hearn stressed repeatedly that as club program director and a youth coach, he’s not going anywhere and the change was not signifying a goodbye. Still, not leading his usual group of varsity players for the first time in 15 years has made for quite the change, both to O’Hearn and the families in the Island’s lacrosse program.

“It’s a little surreal, but I’m still on the Island for five days a week,” he said. “To have a successful varsity coach coaching your youth is going to set up your high school program for years to come. It’s just going to strengthen the high school program and that’s exciting to be a part of, too.

“It’s the best of both worlds. I still get to help the program grow and be a part of family life and coaching life.”