Pam Pack focuses on learning and working hard during spring, while Brian Paschal stays busy in his return role as head coach.

Published 5:55 pm Tuesday, May 27, 2025

By Jason O. Boyd

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There may be a lot of new faces, but the excitement level is still the same.

Washington High School has been busy with spring football drills. Like so many public schools across the state, the Pam Pack have been able to conduct spring practices. Under the direction of head coach Brian Paschal, who is back at the helm after previously coaching there around two decades ago, Washington has been busy running drills, learning plays and getting adjusted to each other.

There are a lot of new faces both among the players and the assistant coaches, who are all new from last season. Despite that, the team has had the excitement level intensified and a new buzz has been generated about the changes within the program.

“Well, you know, when the (North Carolina) High School Athletic Association let us have spring practice, it was a huge thing for our state,” Paschal said. “It was a really big thing.

“And maybe we can continue to grow it and keep growing, pushing it towards more contact and things like that as we move into it, maybe extend another five days or whatever. But spring practice has been a blessing for coaches and programs that want to work and programs that have new coaches like me that want to install and need to install and need to see some things. It’s really been a blessing.”

The practices started last week and continued for two weeks before exams. A really big downpour disrupted things on that Monday and forced the team indoors on Tuesday. The team was able to get in enough time on Thursday before more rain and even some hail came down at the school.

“Well, Monday was a learning experience,” Paschal said of the first day of spring practice. “Because we had really bad weather. We got here and it was just horrific. And then, you know, there’s all kinds of decisions to make at that point. So we made it through almost two hours, but then we just decided to call it at the end.”

Part of the newness of the program is the assistant coaches who are now part of the program. A new offense and defense are being installed, which means everyone is learning on the job.

“They show their dedication by being in practice,” Paschal said. “We’re installing a new offense. And we have our offense coordinator here. He actually works in Georgia. So that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Paschal said he’s enjoying all the aspects of coaching again after retiring from teaching and taking some time off. He is anxious to get the season started in a new conference and with the program now at the 3A level. The Pam Pack will also play at Northside on Sept. 5, the first time the two schools have squared off in years.

“I was such a deja vu moment when I walked up here the first time because this was my baby, this practice field,” Paschal said about his first day of practice. “I mean, it used to be a girls’ soccer field when I got here the first time.

“And we were so excited when it happened (became the football practice field). But to walk back up here again was really a thrill for me. And they’ve done so much work here since I’ve been here. They put lights on the practice field. It’s just a much nicer facility than the one that I left.”

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