The man who built Georgia Perimeter softball into what it is today, is stepping down at the conclusion of the 2012 season.

Ed Schutte will make his 11th season his last at GPC, stepping down to teach at McCann's Windwrd Baseball and Softball Academy in Alpharetta, doing clinics and perhaps coaching national teams.

"I'd like to pursue my course of coaching NCAA Division I All-Americans at the national level, Schutte said in a statement.

Schutte arrived at GPC as an assistant coach to Dr. Bonnie J. Young as the Jaguars moved from slowpitch to fastpitch. He spent four seasons as an assistant before becoming head coach for the 2002 season.

"It's definitely been a transition period," Schutte said. "We moved from the Dunwoody Campus to the Newton Campus, and we went from mediocre facilities to first class."

Along the way, he was able to recruit better athletes. Schutte enters his 11th season as head coach with a record of 308-155 and two appearances in the national tournament, 2007 and 2010. Four other teams won regular season titles in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association.

He was named GCAA Coach of the Year in 2003, 2006 and 2008 and shared the award in 2009.

Schutte said his No. 1 memory at GPC is the 2007 team going to the nationals in Plant City, Fla., with 11 players.

"People were laughing at us because of our numbers. They were wondering where our program came from," he said.