PREP MEDIA DAY '22: New coaches highlight the event

Coaches including Lanier’s Darone Fagan, Lee’s Qua Everett, Kyle Caldwell of Elmore County and Billingsley’s Lanny Jones open their new jobs in the coming days as preseason practice begins. (Tim Gayle/Michael Butler)

By GRAHAM DUNN

New coaches were the story of the third-annual River Region Prep Media Day at Trinity Presbyterian School on Tuesday.

Nine coaches were introduced to the media with each one looking to take their respective programs to a new level.

Some are all but restarting. Others are inheriting enough talent to make a playoff run.

As to which is which, it depends on who you talk to.

“Certainly this is a great opportunity but we also know what is expected,” said new Pike Road coach Ed Rigby. “We have a lot of talent returning but we are starting anew. We are still learning about our players since we got here in May. But it’s been a good transition and we are excited to be here.”

“This is a program that is going through changes,” new Robert E. Lee coach Qua Edwards said. “We lost a lot off last year’s team. But we have a good nucleus and expect good things this season.”

A few coaches, such as new Park Crossing coach Ty Lockett, found getting to the event a little challenging… literally.

His automobile suffered a flat tire just a few blocks from the event and had to call one of his players to rescue him.

“Lucky I had someone who could come get me,” Lockett said with a smile.

The new Thunderbirds’ coach has settled in and is happy with what he’s seen.

“I am really pleased with these guys, who have accepted me in a short period of time,” Lockett said. “As a new coach… the biggest thing is to try and get the guys to buy in to what you are selling and these guys have bought in. That has helped make the transition smooth and easy. When the older guys buy in, the younger guys follow their example.”

Ironically, Lockett and new coach Darone Fagan both had stints at Bessemer City High School. It was a game that Fagan watched when his new employer, Sidney Lanier, play Park Crossing, who they faced in the playoffs.

“We would match up in the playoffs against a team in Montgomery,” he explained. “I was always intrigued by Montgomery teams. Lanier was familiar due to seeing them when I was at Huffman. I would see them at camps and they always had athletes. And I played at Alabama State so I’m pretty familiar with their history.”

Kyle Caldwell takes over the program at Elmore County High School hoping to turn the fortunes around. He has enjoyed an increase in player participation.

“That’s the future, “ he said. “The defense has done a good job. We were in 7-on-7 competition and we were able to communicate better. Players have worked hard. We want them to see the reward of doing what they need to do and not just to see the results.”

Lanny Jones is the new coach at Billingsley. He came from south Alabama for the new opportunity.

“There were some circumstances that we were dealing with but I’m excited to be here,” he said. “This is a great place to be with high school football being so strong in this part of the state.”

In AISA, Trey Dunbar takes over a state championship program at Autauga Academy while a familiar face returns as a head coach.

Larry Ware takes over at Valiant Cross, the infant program in its third year of existence.

Ware has been in the Capital City for most of his career. But his last head coaching position came more than 10 years ago when he left Lee.

But he has been an assistant at St. James under Jimmy Perry where he believes he has learned more about the profession than at any other time he’s been in the business.

“This is a luxury of being an assistant, I worked for one of the best coaches in the state of Alabama. If you can’t learn from Jimmy Perry, you aren’t listening. When I became the head coach the first time, it was because of Jimmy Perry, Spence McCracken, Jim Tuley (all former coaches at Lee). Those were great teachers.

“Organization and work ethic. Jimmy acts like he is 22 years old. How he runs his programs, how he talks to his kids, his parents, I’ve learned about that. All of that is in my cabinet as I need it.”

Evangel Christian returns to football and will play in the new AISA 8-man league. Darius Dixon is an alumnus of the school and takes over as the new head coach.