By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
After three years of steadily rebuilding a once dominant Seahawks football program, coach David Hines will be departing from Southside and has accepted a position at Cherokee High School.
Beginning in August, Hines will be the Braves new assistant head football coach, head strength and conditioning coordinator and head baseball coach. In the Braves, Hines heads to another 1-A program, but it is believed that the location of the school was one of the main attractions. Hines came all the way across the state to coach Southside and will head back west to coach at Cherokee, a school that is closer to Knoxville than it is to Greenville.
Hines politely declined an interview with the Washington Daily News citing his emotional attachment to the issue, and instead chose to issue a statement via e-mail.
In a portion of his statement Hines thanked the Southside administration, fans and athletes for their support over the past three seasons:
First I would like to give thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for without him I would not have had the opportunity to be a part of the lives of each student and player at Southside High School. I would also like to thank both the former and current administration at Southside High School for giving me the opportunity to coach the varsity football program for the past three years.
Those three years as the head coach were as rewarding for me and my family as we could have ever imagined. The recent success of our program along with having a positive impact on the tremendous young men involved will always have a special place in our hearts.
The area has been blessed with a number of outstanding coaches over the years and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to coach with, and against them. I also feel honored to be able to call them friends.
Unfortunately, it is time for my family and I to move on. My family has been given an outstanding opportunity to teach and coach in the Cherokee Central School System beginning in August of 2010.
There are not enough words for my family and I to express our gratitude to the Southside staff and students, players, and community for their support during that time. Southside football will continue to grow and succeed as long as the players continue to have the support they need in the community, the classroom, and on the field.
Hines, known best for always toting a positive perspective, took over the Seahawks football program in 2007. Hines was a late hire, meeting his players for the first time at the team’s first official practice.
Southside stumbled in his first year as the team went winless. Despite the lack of victories, Hines always showed faith in his players and kept his head high after every loss.
The next year Hines’ Seahawks continued to struggle and lost nine games in a row, bearing the brunt of a burdening 21-game losing.
In a game that would surely be an ESPN Classic if it was played at the college level, Hines took his Seahawks and their 21-game skid into the regular finale Anchor Bowl against Northside, the school’s biggest rival, and came out victorious.
Knowing the team had one more chance to pick up that elusive W, Southside stunned Northside with a 34-33 victory. The win not only took the monkey off of Hines’ back, but sent the players into the offseason on a positive note.
The next year Southside built on its season-ending thriller and put together a 4-7 regular season, making the playoffs for the first time in Hines’ tenure.
This year, the Seahawks were expected to take another step in the right direction and contend for a Four Rivers Conference title.
Hines still feels his former team can do big things this year and left with this parting message to his former players:
It has been a pleasure coaching each and every one of you. Thank you guys for giving me some of the greatest joys and memories of my coaching career. The Seahawks will continue to get stronger, and will continue to make their school and community proud. I have NEVER been as proud of a group of young men as I have been of you all. To see the way you all have stood toe to toe with adversity only to knock it down and push through it has been inspiring to me and my family. I will carry the memories of these three years close to my heart and always look upon them fondly. Many have said it, and I promise to live by it -Once a Seahawk, Always a Seahawk. I love you guys and will miss each of you dearly. Best of luck in the 2010 Season and beyond. Go Seahawks!