Field Resigns as Torrance Volleyball Coach : Preps: He was alleged to have been abusive to a player during a Sept. 14 practice. He was on the job for only a month.

Pete Field, whose disciplining of a player resulted in allegations of abusive behavior against him, has resigned after only a month as coach of the highly ranked Torrance High girls’ volleyball team.

Torrance played its first match under new Coach John Radcliffe on Thursday, beating West Torrance in a Pioneer League opener to improve to 7-0. Radcliffe, the Torrance activities director, said Field and Athletic Director Jeff Phillips met Wednesday and agreed it would be best for the team if Field stepped down.

“They mutually agreed that it was not going in the direction they wanted it to go,” Radcliffe said. “(Field) didn’t feel comfortable and some of the girls didn’t feel comfortable. (Field) didn’t want to hurt the girls.”

Field, who was a part-time coach, could not be reached for comment.

Tiffany Fujimoto, a senior middle blocker, has rejoined the team after quitting because of a run-in with Field during a Sept. 14 practice. Fujimoto said Field scolded her, grabbed her by the arm and ordered her to leave the gym after she tried to explain why she made a mistake during a passing drill.

Fujimoto said she was happy to return to the team and was not surprised by Field’s resignation.

“I kind of suspected something was going to happen because the team was telling me how much they didn’t like (Field),” Fujimoto said. “It feels good to be back. My parents are really, really happy.”

Fujimoto’s parents, Audie and Shirleen, had complained to school officials about the treatment of their daughter by Field. The 5-foot-7 Fujimoto is one of Torrance’s best athletes. She has been selected to The Times’ South Bay All-Star basketball team the past two seasons.

Radcliffe, whose daughter Suzanne is a standout hitter for Torrance, said he hopes the Tartars can continue to be successful after changing coaches for the second time this year. Marie Andersson, who coached Torrance the previous three seasons, resigned late in August because of her pregnancy.

“We had to hire a coach in a hurry, and unfortunately for everybody it didn’t work out,” Radcliffe said. “We just want to keep the girls focused and help them go as far as they can.”

Torrance is ranked No. 3 in the state coaches’ poll and No. 1 in the Southern Section Division III coaches’ poll.

Radcliffe will be assisted by Brian Chartier, who has coached several Torrance players in the South Bay Volleyball Club.

“It’s going to work because the girls really like (Chartier),” Radcliffe said. “At this time of the year, to bring in someone the girls know is a big plus.”

Radcliffe, a former baseball coach at Torrance, coached the Torrance girls’ junior varsity volleyball team for five seasons in the early 1980s. His association with the seniors on this year’s team began when he entered them in a junior varsity summer league when they were eighth-graders.