I heard through the grapevine from a parent that West Wilkes is looking for a new head football coach. Interesting to see where the Blackhawks go. That JV group from last year has talent from what I was told.
New Coach At West Wilkes?
- Thread starter WESTERNOC44
- Start date
I was wondering the same thing. I was going off what had been told. I dont live in Wilkes but do have extended family from the WW area.
From what I have been told this morning West Wilkes will indeed have a new FB coach. I'm not sure that the job will be posted. It may be a in house hire from what I have heard.
Its Official West Wilkes does habe a new football coach. The Basketball Coach is moving over to take the football gig.
I think there is a general lack of interest in all wilkes county jobs. Schools in that county have “promoted” in house in several jobs already this calendar year. W Central replaced their boys and girls varsity basketball coaches with jv coaches already at the school. May be a funding issue as I know many public school systems are suffering.
I think in the West situation it’s different. The job was never posted. Last opening 2 years ago they had a good bit of interest with multiple interviews but Coach Green is a guy that bleeds black and orange and I believe administrative powers at WW really wanted him to take this program and instill the discipline it had back in the early 00’s. He will do good with the young group they have that went undefeated on JV last year
Problem is they always go undefeated on JVs. Because at that age there's so much bigger and stronger then most of the people they play. The lack of speed development and the lack of parent buy-in when somebody gets on a kid's butt is their problem. Always will be. I think Wayne Shepard was the last coach they had that was worth any salt. Maybe it'll be more of the same but that whole school system has the same problem. East is probably the best job but even that is eroding. Plus there's a general lack of athletic talent compared to some of the others. There's really no excuse for Wilkes Central to ever be bad but they consistently are.
Wilkes as a whole has to find a way to sustain success from the youth programs all the way through varsity.
Last group that really did that was the EW group that JK had that lost to Mitchell.
I always thought Wilkes county is a Avg sports county imo. Most school struggle and they all rural schools so small communities , also some these schools are old and new upgrades and prob lack of $ n all so
I would assume Wilkes Central is prob most successful usually.
I would assume Wilkes Central is prob most successful usually.
w central has the talent to compete in football. I don’t really understand why they are always bad. They should be making the playoffs annually. EW is the best job though. I really do like west a lot and hope this works out for them. Would love to see them become a consistent winner.
If you want a Head Job in Wilkes, East is the school to be at, Within 4 year cycles they should have enough talent to be successful at the 1A level, and every so often make a good playoff run. As for the other 3, West has became what North used to be which is a door mat and a revolving door of head coaches. I hope Coach Greene can show them what they used to be, which was tough nosed football, but they have lost that since Pruitt left. WC should arguably win year in and out, but right now I believe they are in a down cycle, and their just isn't a lot of excitement around the football program. I think the guy at North, and I would butcher his name trying to spell it, has them headed in the right direction. I was very impressed with North in the fall, if they can figure out how to play some defense they will be ok. As of right now Wilkes is chasing they Surry/Yadkin teams in the conference.
Hmm this doesn't surprise me at all. After how rough the varsity did last year Collett had the pressure on him to do better; guess he decided to give up when he still could. He'll do a good job for any program; West is just a hard job for anyone right now. The landscape still hasn't improved since the run Hunt had there when everything imploded. He had a good spring but things just went nightmarish last fall.
Until an HC comes in and improves the culture there from the stands down it won't matter who's in charge or how good a class is. The consistency just isn't there.
Until an HC comes in and improves the culture there from the stands down it won't matter who's in charge or how good a class is. The consistency just isn't there.
Indeed. Their #'s situation as a whole isn't good at all county wide. For it being so big and spread out there should be more interest in athletics because there are plenty of chances to play. Merging won't help in this case because the county is so huge and the schools have so much ground to fill. I remember one year when Chipman was at North both them and East barely had enough kids to do JV that year; East was on the line if they could finish that season. Central also had a varsity team with only 18 kids playing in the MVAC one year under Turner. Not good at any level.
They just have someone dedicated to build from the ground up; it's what made West Stokes good under UpChurch. He was the first HC to try to make a youth program work in Stokes. Wilkes is facing the same deal just different circumstances that Stokes used to have. If someone ever does invest in a hard multi year youth ball build then they can reap from the successes. Easier said than done of course but it is possible.
IMO the County is dying Slash, Lowes' finally pulling the rest of the corporate offices hurts a lot more than people think, and young folks who leave do not typically come back until retirement if ever. County seems more interested in generating tourism dollars than attempting to bring in companies who will bring families to stay. At some point I think Wilkes needs to get away from the 4 county high schools, That will be an unpopular decision, but with enrollment continuing to dwindle, the powers that be will have to address it at some point.
A lot of things need to be changed in MC, but I think they finally have a guy who wont look at this like a stepping stone to something bigger and better, and this is going to take years to finally change, and I believe he understands that better than most would having been in the building for years. Youth program is going to be huge as is having a staff actually in the building. I think last fall Collett was the only football coach that was a teacher, Admin has to be willing to hire football coaches, or at least a few of them. Community guys, bless them for doing it, but their needs to be more coaches in the building. Finally, the weight room is going to have to be made a priority, I believe West still doesn't have a football weight lifting class, where they lift like football players should. At a school like west where you cant outrun anyone, you had better be able to move them.
Wilkes, Surry, and Yadkin County are all in the process of reaping what they have sewed. There is nothing to keep young people, mix that with rising opioid use, young people aren't hanging around. They have no reason too. They're tired of having no opportunities and watching craggy angry old men make decisions that shutter opportunity.
Families only move to the area if it's a doctor or if they are working in a neighboring county.
Families only move to the area if it's a doctor or if they are working in a neighboring county.
Last edited:
I'd say you're wrong about that thunder. Well at least in Surry and yadkin that is. I would agree that Wilkes county will probably see a decline. Especially with Lowe's moving out. But that just makes them a victim of their own bigotry and racism. All of the schools in Surry county are growing except for probably Elkin. And Forbush is growing as well. I think it has a lot to do with other things than just opioid use though. Mount airy and Elkin are both exceptional school systems. And as evidenced by the growth of the student body I would say that Mount airy is probably close to moving to 2A in the next realignment. East Surry is already there.
East Surry is only 2A due to the formula the NCHSAA used this go around. They may very easily be 1A again next realignment. Mount Airy will not be 2A. Like Elkin their numbers will stay right close to were they are now. The only thing that could keep ES up is the growth of charter schools. With this partisan school board mess I am afraid you are going to see Elkin and Mount Airy both decline in quality. Elkin is losing 2 wonderful school board members this go around.
Forbush has only grew due to the proximity to the Winston-Salem area. The central and western end of Yadkin aren't growing.
As far as bigotry goes, Surry might be carry the bags for the area. Just look at how the county commisoners have acted in recent years. The school system is losing teachers en masse right now from what I am seeing.
It's sad to see. The tri-county area is such a wonderful place but it's running amuck with anger and rage of old men that have been in power too long.
Forbush has only grew due to the proximity to the Winston-Salem area. The central and western end of Yadkin aren't growing.
As far as bigotry goes, Surry might be carry the bags for the area. Just look at how the county commisoners have acted in recent years. The school system is losing teachers en masse right now from what I am seeing.
It's sad to see. The tri-county area is such a wonderful place but it's running amuck with anger and rage of old men that have been in power too long.
Surry and Yadkin are just as bigoted as Wilkes County is. They are virtually indistinguishable from each other. Demographically, culturally, and economically, all three counties are pretty similar.
I was pretty sure I read somewhere that Mount airy was close to 610 students. Which I think would put them in the 2A wouldn't it. And I guess yes there are good amounts of bigotry and racism in both counties as well as Wilkes. Wilkes just seems to be a dumpster fire. Cheap population with a lot of anger. Except for East I think they have some potential. Regardless. I don't know that they conservative mess that is Surry county elections. Is going to hurt Mount airy. If they get their way then the schools like millennium etc which are super conservative will lose members not gain.
I have spent a lot of time In Surry County. Lived there as recently as 3 years ago. It is in bad shape.
I mean let's be real, they tried to run a local business out of town because a few commissioners didn't like a stance the corporation the local business was affiliated with took a stance he didn't agree with. Spent multiple meetings worrying over a drink machine. And yet they whine over cancel culture.
Surry is a crap show and it's sad. Even at the town level. Too many angry people angry over crap they can't control and letting that trickle down to the local level. Go look at some of the nuts running for commissioner this go around.
Mount Airy should be around 500-550 students as usual. Can't see them being in the 600s. 600s doesn't necessarily put a team 2A with this formula used. The formula used this go around won't be used next go around.
Surry is a crap show and it's sad. Even at the town level. Too many angry people angry over crap they can't control and letting that trickle down to the local level. Go look at some of the nuts running for commissioner this go around.
Mount Airy should be around 500-550 students as usual. Can't see them being in the 600s. 600s doesn't necessarily put a team 2A with this formula used. The formula used this go around won't be used next go around.
Surry County population is declining. I think Pilot Mountain is the one area that might grow in the future, but that is only because of the proximity to Winston-Salem. In order for PM to grow, the town commissioners and county commissioners are going to have allow it to grow and right now the town commissioners are a joke.
The other issue with Surry County is the school system, teachers are leaving left & right to go to other school systems because of how poor the leadership is in this school system and the allowance of politics to run everything now. East Surry, for example, has enjoyed much athletic success over the last few years but that will come crashing down soon with some of their hires they have made recently.
The other issue with Surry County is the school system, teachers are leaving left & right to go to other school systems because of how poor the leadership is in this school system and the allowance of politics to run everything now. East Surry, for example, has enjoyed much athletic success over the last few years but that will come crashing down soon with some of their hires they have made recently.
Look at the basketball hire Surry Central just made. A guy that has bounced around for the last few years but always seems to land a job for some reason. It's sad to see the decisions being made in these counties and the ridiculous mess school boards and county commissoners are picking battles over while supporting the madness Raleigh is allowing to happen to our schools. There is a reason Phil Berger wanted partisan school boards in Surry and why it's happening it so many other counties.
Mount Airy and Elkin are the only towns that showed growth from 2010-2020. Dobson and Pilot both lost people. Surry County as a whole lost over 2300 people in those ten years. Yadkin lost right at 1200. Wilkes lost over 3000. If something doesn't chnage there is a good chnace those numbers keep growing over the next 10 years.
Mount Airy and Elkin are the only towns that showed growth from 2010-2020. Dobson and Pilot both lost people. Surry County as a whole lost over 2300 people in those ten years. Yadkin lost right at 1200. Wilkes lost over 3000. If something doesn't chnage there is a good chnace those numbers keep growing over the next 10 years.
School board elections should never be partisan. Period.
One of the biggest of many travesties committed by the NCGA in recent years.
Maybe people will wake up and get fired up over what's happening to their schools when it starts trickling down to football.
It’s typically done by local bill. So two or three elected officials are making that decision for everyone. Read yesterday that, for the first time, unaffiliated voters outnumber those registered for each party in NC. Democrats are second, with Republicans trailing by over 300,000 voters. Unaffiliated voters have virtually no chance to be elected to any partisan office, no matter how qualified. That needs to change.
Except for the fringes on either side, most people are fed up with partisan politics. That shows in the defections from both parties.
The NCGA has made it impossible for unaffiliated voters to run with the signature requirement bs mixed with other things. Even primaries are insane. Why do unaffiliated voters have to pick? Why can't I have a ballot with everyone running in all parties? It's insane and the minority number is handcuffing everything.
The local bill mess is ridiculous as well. It's a disaster and a mess. Something has to give and people need to put their far partisan beliefs aside and see the big picture. Our schools and state is going to suffer.
I really hope people are paying attention to school board candidates in these 3 counties. Especially in Wilkes. Some real damage is on the verge of being done and we have people that might get elected that are going to look at being way too involved in day to day business of each school.
The local bill mess is ridiculous as well. It's a disaster and a mess. Something has to give and people need to put their far partisan beliefs aside and see the big picture. Our schools and state is going to suffer.
I really hope people are paying attention to school board candidates in these 3 counties. Especially in Wilkes. Some real damage is on the verge of being done and we have people that might get elected that are going to look at being way too involved in day to day business of each school.
Last edited:
I think the new boys coach at Surry Central will do fine. He has bounced around, but he only left East Surry because he wouldn’t play daddy ball so they got themselves the booster club president to coach.
You make a really good point LetsGetIt. Should Wilkes Consider consolidation from 4 down to 2 high schools. Id think layout wise you combine North & East and West & Central. Now I doubt this will ever happen but I think its defiantly something to put on the table and talk about. West & Central would make a 3A school that could play in the NW3A/4A and East & North would prob make a large 2A school that could play in the Foothills 2A.
I doubt it will ever happen as well. To much of our community school sentiment here for a rational decision to be made. I do think at the county and school board level, the discussion needs to be had and maybe even go ahead with a cost analysis to see how much we could benefit from consolidation. I think you would have to pitch it as an entirely new model, couldn't be we are consolidating West/WC and North/East. It would have to be entirely 2 new high schools, Away from any compass rose names, like Brushy Mountain HS and Stone Mountain HS, and you would pitch it as completely redistricting. It would be the only way to get enough support to get the voting public to go for it, and even then, the powers that be would probably have to run it through regardless, similar to what the did in Ashe county.
I agree with you I think the conversation should be had and I like your way of doing it. Take North, East, West & Central based names off the table and make it brand new. "Junior Johnson High School" is another name I like and of course standard Wilkes County High School or "Wilkesboro & North Wilkesboro High Schools. Just random throw outs for fun.
Tom Dula and Eddie Settle High Schools.
The Dula Legends and Settle Red Racers.
Or the Junior Johnson Runners and Buck Nance White Lightening.
The Dula Legends and Settle Red Racers.
Or the Junior Johnson Runners and Buck Nance White Lightening.
Last edited: