EPHRATA – Rick Walter has stepped down as Ephrata High School's varsity boys basketball head coach after four seasons leading the program, citing a desire to be more present for his two daughters as they get more involved in school and extracurricular activities.

"I'm not sure there is ever a right time," Walter said Monday. "Me and my family had some good conversations and this just seemed like what was best at this time. I have two daughters who are starting their journey and quickly becoming or going to be getting involved a lot more at their school and extracurricular activities and I didn't want to miss any of those events."

Walter submitted his coaching resignation last week. He remains a P.E., health and weight training teacher at EHS, where he has been part of the Ephrata School District for 11 years.

In four seasons as head coach, Walter compiled a 26-60 record and worked to build relationships which he said mattered more to him than wins and losses.

"I really enjoyed getting to know the student-athletes on a deeper level and spending quality time with them," he said. "The memories and relationships with the players and families is what matters the most and I can't express how much they truly mean to me."

Walter brought extensive experience to the position. He spent more than 14 years in assistant coaching roles at the high school level and previously served as an assistant at Spokane Falls Community College. From 2015 to 2021, he was an assistant at Almira-Coulee-Hartline, helping the Warriors' boys basketball team reach the Class 1B state championship game.

One highlight of his tenure at Ephrata was taking the Tigers to the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas in December of 2023, where the team went 2-2, defeating John Muir of California and Chaparral of Nevada.

"We had a ton of fun playing and just connecting as a group through the various activities we did on that trip," Walter said. "I hope the kids that got to attend have that as a great memory."

When asked what he hopes his legacy is, Walter kept the focus off basketball.

"I hope I had a positive impact on the kids that I got to coach — not necessarily in basketball but in their lives," he said. "If I had just a touch of influence on their lives that they can take with them in the future, I believe that is all a coach can hope for."

Walter said his coaching days are not necessarily over, just different.

"It just might change drastically in the age bracket," he said. "I am most excited to have more time with my family and I'm sure I will get involved with my daughters' extracurricular activities as they keep growing."

The Ephrata School District has posted the head coaching position through April 17. A hiring committee made up of district administrators and coaches will interview candidates the following week, with the goal of making a hire by the end of April.

"Ephrata really is a special place," Walter said. "I want to thank all the players, school employees, parents, community members and anyone that helped the program over the years — it wasn't possible without all your support."