In the End, L.A. Was Not the Place for Loyola Baseball Coach Smith : Colleges: His decision to resign was in part linked to family considerations.

Unlike the sudden departure of basketball Coach Paul Westhead last year, the resignation of Loyola Marymount baseball Coach Chris Smith this week didn’t catch everyone by surprise.

Smith, who has two young sons, decided Los Angeles was not the place to raise his family and resigned after three seasons as coach.

“It really doesn’t surprise me,” Loyola Athletic Director Brian Quinn said. “It’s not easy (to afford to live in Los Angeles) with two little kids. He didn’t come in (with salary demands) or anything like that--he said even if we could raise it $10,000 it wouldn’t help him get the kind of home he wanted for his family. It’s a big problem--not just for us, but all the schools in the area.”

Smith, 32, said housing was one of three considerations in his decision.

“The L.A. area, and even more so the Westchester area, is difficult to live in with a young family,” he said. “Also, the new NCAA legislation (limiting the number of games) is real upsetting--that’s the reason you get into coaching, then it’s cut way back.

“There are a lot of unhappy coaches around the country. I would hope the college game would take a look at what it’s doing. College baseball was really on the rise.”

The other factor in Smith’s decision was that he felt Loyola’s uncertain athletic funding would not make it possible to raise the baseball program another notch. In the past seven seasons, first under Dave Snow and then under Smith, the Lions have gone from a West Coast Conference also-ran to a perennial title contender and NCAA playoff qualifier.

The Lions were 122-63 under Smith, going to the regionals in two of his three seasons.

“You look at the program, everybody has an idea of how far (his) can go,” Smith said. “Under the fiscal situation (at Loyola) I don’t know how much further it can go. The next step would be to jump up with the big boys, the Arizona States.”

Loyola has never given an indication it wants to take that step.

Smith said he has no immediate plans, although a return to pro ball in some capacity may be attractive. After several seasons as Snow’s top assistant and recruiter, Smith coached for two seasons in the minor leagues before returning to Loyola when Snow resigned in 1988.

“For personal growth alone you’ve got to keep moving on,” he said. “I was lucky at 29 to be a Division I head coach, but you get a family and have to make some decisions. I made a decision. I’ll surface somewhere.”

Smith’s resignation has set Quinn and the athletic department on a national search for a replacement and has some people at the school worried that they may lose some key recruits. The team already appears to be losing all-conference shortstop Chris Gomez and pitcher Kevin Lovingier, who asked to be released from their scholarships.

However, Quinn said he won’t rush the hiring process. The opening is being advertised in the NCAA Newsletter, although he said he would like to find a local, established coach--preferably one who already has his own housing or understands the L.A. market.

“I would like to get someone who wants to stay for a while,” Quinn said. “I sure don’t like going through this--I’m starting my seventh year and this is my third baseball coach. You always have a few names you’re interested in but it’s wide-open. We’re setting up a committee now and Smitty’s going to help me. I expect we’ll get a very good coach. I don’t expect anyone chosen and in place much before September.”

And Quinn stressed that Smith is leaving on an amicable basis. Quinn has long maintained that--given Loyola’s tight athletic budget--his biggest worry is holding onto attractive coaches.

“We really appreciate the tremendous job Chris did for this university,” Quinn said. “As a result of his efforts as both an assistant and head coach, Chris is largely responsible for the success that our program has enjoyed over the last six years. I really wish Chris well. I’ll miss him, as a coach and a friend.”