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Jul. 22—One of the area’s most accomplished and respected head coaches is stepping away from high school football.
Dwayne Garrick is retiring, according to a statement posted to Facebook by Aiken High athletic director Phillip Blacha. Blacha confirmed the news in a phone call Monday morning, saying that Garrick told him it was time to hang up his whistle after nearly four decades in coaching.
“I apologize for the timing of this and how it may affect our program,” Blacha said in the statement. “This is no reflection on our program. Simply a retirement of a coach that has worked for nearly four decades.”
Garrick was a head coach for 26 seasons at six different schools, the last of which being Aiken High last season, and posted a record of 200-118. In that time, his teams posted 11 double-digit win seasons, reached the state semifinals 10 times and appeared in five state championship games, with his Williston-Elko Blue Devils bringing home the 2010 Class A, Division II state title. Aiken went 0-10 last year in Garrick’s lone season at the helm.
Blacha also gave another reason for Garrick’s departure, and it’s one that’s been bemoaned by many coaches within the Aiken County Public School District.
“I know one of his other reasons was not having an athletic trainer,” Blacha said. “For him, safety is probably the highest priority. So, the safety of it, that was probably a really big part, not getting a trainer. That weighed on him, and that’s pretty much about it.”
Blacha also announced that longtime Garrick assistant Heath Corley will be taking over as interim head football coach. Corley brings more than 20 years of coaching experience, including a three-year stretch at Ridge Spring-Monetta where he guided the Trojans to three playoff appearances and one state semifinal.
“I am excited for Heath Corley’s opportunity to be our…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/aiken-high-head-football-coach-234700428.html
Author : Aiken Standard, S.C.
Publish date : 2024-07-22 23:47:00
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