Hickory looking for new head coach

[Chris_Hughes]

As reported by Chris Hobbs of Hobbs Daily Report.

BREAKING NEWS: Hickory head football coach Stone resigns (updated) - Hobbs Daily Report - covering Catawba Valley Sports

He guided Red Tornadoes to 15 wins in four seasons, has 277 victories in 40-year career By CHRIS HOBBS HobbsDailyReport.com HICKORY – Russell Stone will not return for a fifth season as head football coach at Hickory High. Stone’s Red Tornadoes team went 0-7 in a COVID-shortened spring season...

hobbsdailyreport.com

 

[loveithere]

It’ll be interesting to see how this one pans out. A once great program that has fallen on some harder times.

 

[Chris_Hughes]

I don’t see anyone good really wanting this job. The AD (David Craft) is a phenomenal person and leader but the numbers and interest among students is low. A lot may be determined on who the new superintendent is.

The good part is that Stone built a great JV program, there’s a lot of underclass experience, and the school won the realignment lottery and will be in a much easier conference.

 

[Lawn12Dog]

I don’t see anyone good really wanting this job. The AD (David Craft) is a phenomenal person and leader but the numbers and interest among students is low. A lot may be determined on who the new superintendent is.

The good part is that Stone built a great JV program, there’s a lot of underclass experience, and the school won the realignment lottery and will be in a much easier conference.

We used to scrimmage them every year and it was always a good time. What has caused the demise of this once proud program?

 

[bamatide13]

Coach Stone is a great Coach and an even better person. I hope this works out for both parties in the end.

 

[BlueDevil1996]

Coach Stone make Hickory competitive and they did work hard but lacked depth and #s. Hickory has to get interest back into their program , I’m not sure why Hickory is not as good as they once were, I don’t know if it culture or just no support or what but It would be nice to see Hickory FB Win some game and be consistent.

 

[sammyk]

It’ll be interesting to see how this one pans out. A once great program that has fallen on some harder times.

There are many once storied programs that are not what they used to be in this state. I can name a ton of them if you like but we all know who they are. I coached at one of those storied programs a few years ago and to be honest sometimes once they fall off it is almost impossible to get them back to what they once were and many times they never fully recover. I have known Coach Stone pretty much sense 2002 , I have coached against him and he has been one of the old hats I listen too due to his experience. I fell that Hickory could be competitive(Whatever that means) but will no longer be what they once were. The reason is everyone is gravitating towards the metro areas. Hickory is just far enough away from Charlotte and Winston to where the population growth is not happening.

 

[maybelline]

We used to scrimmage them every year and it was always a good time. What has caused the demise of this once proud program?

Lack of interest in football by students. TBI has made parents say no to football. This is seen at most schools. The lack of participation has caused some schools to drop JV football, and some dropped football all together. There are exceptions, but they will see it sooner or later too.

 

[Lawn12Dog]

I agree with you

Lack of interest in football by students. TBI has made parents say no to football. This is seen at most schools. The lack of participation has caused some schools to drop JV football, and some dropped football all together. There are exceptions, but they will see it sooner or later too.