The only coach to win a playoff game in Gorham High School hockey’s 14-year history has resigned.

Eric Wales stepped down at the conclusion of this year’s 5-15 campaign, his third as head coach of the Rams. His overall record was 30-33.

“I just felt that for the best interest of the program, it was time for me to step aside,” Wales said.

Wales served as an assistant under Norm Gagne during the 2004-05 season. When Gagne left Gorham after one season to take the head job at Lewiston High School – his current position – Wales took the reins of the Rams.

In his first year, Gorham finished the regular season at 19-1 and was the sixth seed in Western Maine Class A. After an 11-2 preliminary-round win over Bonny Eagle, Gorham’s first-ever playoff win, the Rams avenged their only regular-season loss by upending Kennebunk 4-2 in the quarterfinals. Kennebunk had handled Gorham 10-3 in the regular season.

Gorham fell in the semifinals to Scarborough 4-2 to finish the year 21-2.

“The playoff run to the semifinals in the ’05-’06 season was awesome,” Wales said.

It also meant a tougher schedule the next year. Moving up from a tier-three schedule to a tier-one schedule, the Rams struggled, going 4-16 and missing the playoffs.

Wales described the past season’s slate as “upper-middle tier.” The 5-15 finish left the Rams in 13th place. The top 12 made the tournament.

“The first year he came in, we had a great run,” said Gorham athletic director Gerald Durgin, who said Wales informed him of his decision to resign toward the end of the season. “Then we moved up from third tier to first tier. … That scheduling, it’s tough. It’s very, very tough. I don’t think most people realize just how tough it is.”

Wales said it’s not only the schedule that made things difficult.

“At Gorham, it’s kind of a tough situation because it’s not paid by the school,” he said.

The hockey program for both boys and girls is booster-funded and pay-to-play. Gorham High School pays for coaching salaries, buses and game officials, said Jim Gregoire, the president of the Gorham Ice Hockey Boosters Association. The rest is left up to the boosters.

The boosters raised about $15,000 this year to help offset the costs to players, Gregoire said. The boosters club funds JV and varsity programs for the high school as well as the middle school hockey program, operating on a combined budget. Total costs come out to $40,000 to $55,000 per year, Gregoire said, leaving a large chunk to be funded through registration costs.

Registration is $400 for the first player in a family, with additional players paying $150 each according to Gregoire. The cost covers insurance, game jerseys, socks and equipment bags, and helps pay for ice time – a precious and expensive commodity, often only available at odd hours at distant rinks.

“We pay a premium for ice time,” Gregoire said. “We have to fight for ice time.”

It is a big commitment for parents and players of both time and money, Wales said. He applauds the efforts of the boosters, but added that the pay-to-play format can make it tough on the coach, as parents are financially vested in the program.

“I think they have more reason to complain … when money comes out of their pocket,” Wales said. “They feel they have more leverage. They have to work very hard and they raise a lot of money. You have to say God bless them.”

It’s not an easy situation for anyone involved, Wales said. The quick turnover of coaches – the school has had seven hockey coaches in 14 years – suggests a need for change in his view.

“I’m concerned for the future of the program,” Wales said. “Either the school needs to step up to the plate and pay for the program or it should consider cutting the program.”

Wales said this year was especially difficult because too much of his time was spent dealing with off-ice issues related to the program.

“The least amount of time was spent coaching,” he said. “It just wasn’t fun.”

He said he loves working with kids and loves coaching – which made his decision to resign anything but an easy one.

“One of the greatest things to see is a little freshman come in and play hockey and grow into a senior and leader of the team,” Wales said.

A teacher at Westbrook Regional Vocational School, Wales coaches girls varsity lacrosse and JV golf in Portland during the spring and fall seasons. As for next winter, he may be back on the ice.

“If I do anything next winter, I may volunteer some time with a varsity hockey team, pass some pucks around, just have fun,” he said. “All in all, it was a good four years and it’s time to move on.”