Maurice Lowe and Scott Morton cited family obligations as the chief reason for stepping down from their coaching roles at the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) national academy.Their names were the biggest omission in a new-look coaching staff for the youth programme named on Tuesday, leaving many to question the reasons behind such a decision that leaves a huge void to fill, given their wealth of knowledge.But both moved quickly to squash any rumours surrounding their absence, noting they had not ruled out rejoining the set-up in the future if called upon.“The decision to take a break was a personal one with family obligations taking up a lot of my time currently, and with my coaching role at my club (BAA) I felt it was best to take a break and focus on the main things in my life right now,” said Lowe.“The experience was a great one and I will certainly be back but right now for me it has to take a back seat.“I’m active in the summer as well as the football season and in the long run it takes a lot out of you and this is a hiatus on my part, but I’m not leaving and never coming back.”The BAA boss, who also coached the Bermuda Hogges this past summer, thanked the association for the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge that he can pass on at the club level as his side look to gain promotion.“I have a clear mind going forward and the two things go hand in hand in terms of national academy and BAA because being involved in the academy showed me some new things that I am able to implement into the club as we try and gain promotion.“The drive and work ethic I have gotten from being involved in the set-up has helped me in my first hand knowledge of what it takes to be successful on the international stage and it gives a lot of focus on my work at the club.“Our objective is to gain promotion with dignity and style and as a family and that is what we want, not just getting promoted and then saying we have done our job.“A lot of our nucleus from last year is overseas in some capacity, so our job is finally producing the fruit we wanted to bear.”Former Bermuda captain Lowe joined the national academy’s backroom team after being hired as a part-time coach in 2010 while he was Kenny Thompson’s assistant coach at Somerset Eagles, working with Morton, Gary Darrell, former youth director Devarr Boyles and technical director Derek Broadley.Morton, who was Lowe’s assistant coach with the Hogges, echoed the latter’s sentiments about family priorities, while also stating it would be at least two years before he ventures back into the sporting arena.One key note he pointed to, and is hopeful of being addressed, was the lack of government funding which restricted the things that the coaches could and couldn’t do.“There are a lot of things going on from a work and family standpoint and for me it is time to relax and enjoy some free time,” said Morton. “Being in the academy doesn’t afford you much time, you aren’t able to get off too often and the resources aren’t available to have a stand-in if you aren’t able to come to training.“If I was missing there isn’t an assistant to go and coach for me and that is an issue for government spending to sort out because the academy is handcuffed in a sense with what it has available.“Programmes can only go as far money will allow them, and for me I need to take some time out to concentrate on something other then football but I am always available if needed to come in and help.“I won’t be involved in any sort of capacity with clubs or anything else, my break is for at least two years and then see what happens from there.”While Morton and Lowe have decided to not be involved, Larry Smith, Aaron Denkins and Maceo Dill have returned for the relaunch of the programme.New additions to the Academy team include youth director Richard Todd, national team coach Andrew Bascome, Dennis Brown, Phillip Burgess and Don Vickers.Naquita Robinson, Shawnette Perott and Vinzie Zuill have been brought in to coach the expanding girls’ programme.