After leading the Hampshire Regional baseball team to the postseason this year for the first time since 2008, Tim Balut is no longer its coach.

Balut was informed of the decision by athletic director Ann Trytko on Tuesday.

"I think that myself and large number of players were really surprised," Balut said in a phone interview Thursday. "It's been nice the last few days. I've had a lot of phone calls and text messages from players and former players expressing their disapproval."

In a phone interview Friday, Trytko said the decision resulted at least in part from season-ending surveys by the players.

"We had an evaluation of the season. The kids' take on the season is what I was looking for," Trytko said. "You kind of hear rumblings from here and there and when nobody is coming to you and saying anything specifically, it's my job to find out what is going on. So I wanted to give the boys a chance to put their thoughts on paper with regard to the program and they did."

Trytko declined to further explain the content of the surveys.

"Basically, I don't know if I really want to discuss it, to be honest with you, in fairness to (Balut) and in fairness to the kids," she said. "There was a lack of chemistry between the coach and the kids is probably the best way I could put it.

There was not an incident or anything like that."

The Gazette left messages this week with several players who did not respond to requests for reaction to their coach's dismissal.

Balut, a U.S. history and economics teacher at South Hadley High School, took over the Red Raiders program before the 2009 season. The team went 6-13 in 2009 and 7-11 in 2010 before posting a 12-7 record this season.

"One of the thing that attracted me to Hampshire was that they hadn't won a playoff game in something like 25 years and the fields weren't doing so great," Balut said. "I thought it was a great place for myself, as someone with a lot of passion and energy for baseball, especially high school baseball, to come and turn the team into a high school program. We made numerous improvements to the field and facilities."

Balut's dismissal led two people to submit letters to the Gazette this week.

One was written by Central High School varsity coach Michael Chiarizio who praised his work at Hampshire, his assistance in creating a Springfield-area American Legion team and concluded: "Bottom line, a high school is not going to get a more knowledgeable and dedicated coach who cares about his players like Tim Balut. It is a shame he was let go when he did so many positive things for his players, the community and the school in 3 short years."

Another letter to the editor, written by attorney Thomas C. Moran of Belchertown, praised Balut's dedication to the program, stating "Coach Balut's dedication to the Hampshire Regional baseball program was unsurpassed. As a resident of Enfield and a teacher in South Hadley, Balut sacrificed more time and effort than any other coach in memory. Between his daily commute and his innumerable hours spent rearranging and reconstructing the field, he gave nearly his entire personal life to the Red Raiders."

Trytko said the search for a new baseball coach likely would not start before the fall.

"I'm very proud that I left it in better shape for the next guy and for the team next year," Balut said. "They are going to be really good and they are a great group of guys. I'm really proud of the work that I did up there.

"I'm very thankful to everyone who has supported me over the years in fundraising and in building the program," he added. "I met a lot of great people. It's a great community up there. The next coach to come in is going to be very lucky."

Jim Pignatiello can be reached at jpignatiello@gazettenet.com.