WILMINGTON— Veteran New Hanover High School soccer coach Al Pastore has announced his retirement from coaching, according to the Wilmington Star News.

Pastore has coached New Hanover High School’s boys and girls teams for the past seven years.

The coach has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for the past 20 years, but said the disease didn’t affect his decision to retire. He has enjoyed a 32-year career in coachingh, including leading teams at the high school, club, collegiate and professional levels.

“That’s half my life spent coaching kids at all levels,” Pastore said. “I still have an enthusiasm, but it’s dampened.”

Long-time assistant coach T.J. Rennie already has already accepted the position for coaching the Wildcats’ men’s team in the upcoming fall season.

According to the Wilmington paper, Pastore came to Wilmington from New York in 1995 and shortly thereafter formed the Wilmington Hammerheads, the city’s minor-league professional soccer team.