Villanova Prep’s Christ Quits Job Because of Eye Ailment : Prep baseball: Former assistant Richard Torres assumes coaching responsibilities at the Ojai school. : COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT

Coach Ralph Christ grew excited as he watched several talented freshmen work out during Villanova Prep’s first baseball practice in February.

But Christ will not be leading that young squad this season.

Christ has stepped down as coach because of rapidly deteriorating sight in his right eye.

Although the vision in his left eye is normal, doctors have told Christ that he probably will lose sight in his right eye.

Christ, 44, continues to work as athletic director of the Ojai school, but he turned over his coaching duties to assistant Richard Torres earlier this month.

The first sign of Christ’s vision trouble occurred one evening in January while he was driving from Ojai to Ventura.

“I noticed I couldn’t read the road signs,” he said. “I thought I must have something in my eye, or I was tired.”

It wasn’t until the Wildcats’ first scrimmage, Feb. 29 against Moorpark, that he discovered the extent of his ailment. A foul ball came speeding toward the Villanova dugout and narrowly missed Christ.

“I never saw it,” Christ said. “Another two inches and I would have been smacked in the head.”

Christ decided to quit after tests confirmed that the vision in his right eye had deteriorated from 20-20 to 20-200 with a loss of depth perception and peripheral vision caused by nerve damage.

“My heart was really set on coaching baseball,” he said, “but I decided if I couldn’t give 100%, I was going to bring in someone who could.”

Torres, a 1957 Villanova graduate, has coached semipro and youth baseball for the past 35 years and was hired as Villanova’s third base coach this season. James Torres, Richard’s son, and Bob Coker also were hired this season and have remained as assistants.

Christ has remained upbeat about his health problems, Torres said.

“He is always in good spirits,” Torres said. “Ralph is a competitor, so that part he misses. But I’ve been able to take some of the burden from him. That has eased his mind.”

Christ coached the Wildcats in 1977, guiding them to a 14-3 record and a Condor League co-championship, and last season.

During the 1980s, Christ worked as a publicist for the Pittsburgh Spirit and the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League and for the Hollywood Kickers and the San Jose Earthquakes of the Western Soccer League.

He returned to coaching in 1991, replacing Mike Glenn, and directed Villanova to a 13-5 mark and a second-place league finish.

Christ feels fortunate to be able to continue as athletic director.

“It should get me down, but it doesn’t,” Christ said. “There are other people who are a whole lot worse off. It inhibits me to a certain degree, but I am still able to help the program in other ways.”