West Brunswick
- Thread starter Deana_King_rivals106402
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Timing is terrible, but he had applied to other schools this year so the writing was on the wall.
His Facebook post:
It is said in the Book of Ecclesiastes that there is a season for everything.
Having said that, my season as the Head Football Coach at West Brunswick High School has finished as I have tendered my resignation effective immediately to pursue another professional opportunity.
This was a decision that Sara and I have been thinking about for a few months and through prayer and discernment, we’ve arrived at the conclusion that I need to step away from being a head football coach and high school teacher at this stage in our life.
We are currently considering multiple opportunities away from West that will allow me to keep coaching, but step away from the all encompassing role of Head Football Coach. I’ve done a very poor job of balancing “who I am” with “what I do”.
I know some people will be hurt by the news (some will probably be happy! ) and that’s fair. It’s also coaching. But personally, the last 14 months have just been one gut punch after another including deaths of players, playing back to back seasons in a spring and fall, dealing with COVID protocols....and trying to do all of this while maintaining a healthy marriage and raising two children. It’s been a lot. And now I’m just drained.
Our chief objective as it relates to WBHS moving forward is involvement with the ENCFCA’s Johnnie Magbie Scholarship and working with the family of Matthew Clemmons to get something r done to make sure his legacy is honored at West in the coming years. I have no idea where the roads will lead for the rest of our careers.....but I’ll make sure it includes remembering those two guys.
My sincerest thanks to Rhonda Benton, Jonathan Paschal, Jimmy Fletcher, and the rest of the faculty and staff at West over the last four years. You have helped me more than I could have ever deserved.. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with you.
My additional thanks to the members of the WBHS Booster Club, our fans, student-body, and other community supporters. We could not have accomplished so much without your passion for the Green and White.
To our football parents, thank you for always supporting your kids and our teams. I was largely able to coach the way I felt it needed to be done....through tough-love, accountability, and a rigid schedule. The overwhelming majority of you worked with us to make this program improve.
To the assistant coaches, I appreciate the way you invested in our players and worked with me to prove we could win again at West Brunswick. Your loyalty and commitment to me is important. But your loyalty and commitment to our players was paramount.
Finally, and most importantly, a note of gratitude to the young men that have battled for OUR school on Friday Nights. It was an HONOR to be your head football coach. I’m so appreciative of your buy-in to being a part of A PROGRAM and not a team. Your commitment to the classroom, weight room, and the practice field helped us achieve things that have not been done here in 25 years including the schools first ten win season since 1997 and the teams first trip to the state quarterfinals since 2003. The combined 16-4 record in the 2019 and spring 2021 seasons is the best two year run at West since 1996 and 1997. I’m also very proud of our 7-1 record against our two county rivals.
Any success we have had starts and ends with people other than me. Our players and our assistant coaches worked tirelessly to improve and leave things better than it was before. I feel 100% confident that all of us over the last four years that have touched this program have done that.
West is my home and it is my school. That's what makes this so difficult. Since 1994, when our family showed up here , there has not been one Friday night in the fall where I did not know how the Trojans did. That will not change. No one will be a bigger fan of this school moving forward than our family.
I’ve been lucky enough to pretty much hold every position a person can hold in a football program; towel boy, headset carrier, coaches’ kid, player, and head coach. For that, I’m always going to be grateful for God making me a Trojan.
Thank you all and God Bless. Brett Hickman
It is said in the Book of Ecclesiastes that there is a season for everything.
Having said that, my season as the Head Football Coach at West Brunswick High School has finished as I have tendered my resignation effective immediately to pursue another professional opportunity.
This was a decision that Sara and I have been thinking about for a few months and through prayer and discernment, we’ve arrived at the conclusion that I need to step away from being a head football coach and high school teacher at this stage in our life.
We are currently considering multiple opportunities away from West that will allow me to keep coaching, but step away from the all encompassing role of Head Football Coach. I’ve done a very poor job of balancing “who I am” with “what I do”.
I know some people will be hurt by the news (some will probably be happy! ) and that’s fair. It’s also coaching. But personally, the last 14 months have just been one gut punch after another including deaths of players, playing back to back seasons in a spring and fall, dealing with COVID protocols....and trying to do all of this while maintaining a healthy marriage and raising two children. It’s been a lot. And now I’m just drained.
Our chief objective as it relates to WBHS moving forward is involvement with the ENCFCA’s Johnnie Magbie Scholarship and working with the family of Matthew Clemmons to get something r done to make sure his legacy is honored at West in the coming years. I have no idea where the roads will lead for the rest of our careers.....but I’ll make sure it includes remembering those two guys.
My sincerest thanks to Rhonda Benton, Jonathan Paschal, Jimmy Fletcher, and the rest of the faculty and staff at West over the last four years. You have helped me more than I could have ever deserved.. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with you.
My additional thanks to the members of the WBHS Booster Club, our fans, student-body, and other community supporters. We could not have accomplished so much without your passion for the Green and White.
To our football parents, thank you for always supporting your kids and our teams. I was largely able to coach the way I felt it needed to be done....through tough-love, accountability, and a rigid schedule. The overwhelming majority of you worked with us to make this program improve.
To the assistant coaches, I appreciate the way you invested in our players and worked with me to prove we could win again at West Brunswick. Your loyalty and commitment to me is important. But your loyalty and commitment to our players was paramount.
Finally, and most importantly, a note of gratitude to the young men that have battled for OUR school on Friday Nights. It was an HONOR to be your head football coach. I’m so appreciative of your buy-in to being a part of A PROGRAM and not a team. Your commitment to the classroom, weight room, and the practice field helped us achieve things that have not been done here in 25 years including the schools first ten win season since 1997 and the teams first trip to the state quarterfinals since 2003. The combined 16-4 record in the 2019 and spring 2021 seasons is the best two year run at West since 1996 and 1997. I’m also very proud of our 7-1 record against our two county rivals.
Any success we have had starts and ends with people other than me. Our players and our assistant coaches worked tirelessly to improve and leave things better than it was before. I feel 100% confident that all of us over the last four years that have touched this program have done that.
West is my home and it is my school. That's what makes this so difficult. Since 1994, when our family showed up here , there has not been one Friday night in the fall where I did not know how the Trojans did. That will not change. No one will be a bigger fan of this school moving forward than our family.
I’ve been lucky enough to pretty much hold every position a person can hold in a football program; towel boy, headset carrier, coaches’ kid, player, and head coach. For that, I’m always going to be grateful for God making me a Trojan.
Thank you all and God Bless. Brett Hickman
Went to High School with Brett's brother and played for his Dad. They are an incredible family and he's just a first class guy like his Dad and brothers. It really stings to lose one of our own. The program was lifeless for so long and he came in quickly and won. Last year was not good but they've got everyone back on offense and a lot back on defense so the immediate future should be fine and I'd imagine if they have a good year than Caleb Perdue will get the head job. He's been the DC and he's learned from Brett I'm sure since thats his calling card. But Brett always made sure to mention that Perdue called the defense on Friday nights so we will see.
Word around town is BH is going back to college football in a defensive assistant role but no one knows where. He told the kids today he wont be teaching and will make substantially more money and his facebook statement reads like he's still going to coach.
And I'm curious to know which job he's applied for? Only one I know of that he's interviewed at was Pine Forest in Southern Pines and I'm pretty sure he was approached by them. He and the AD there may have known each other from ECU or something.
Anyway, I hope it works out for him. He's an emotional guy but is really good with kids and visible in the community. Its a tough loss. West never really recovered after his Dad left in the late 90's. I hope it doesnt take 20 years to get it back to the level they had a couple of years ago.
Word around town is BH is going back to college football in a defensive assistant role but no one knows where. He told the kids today he wont be teaching and will make substantially more money and his facebook statement reads like he's still going to coach.
And I'm curious to know which job he's applied for? Only one I know of that he's interviewed at was Pine Forest in Southern Pines and I'm pretty sure he was approached by them. He and the AD there may have known each other from ECU or something.
Anyway, I hope it works out for him. He's an emotional guy but is really good with kids and visible in the community. Its a tough loss. West never really recovered after his Dad left in the late 90's. I hope it doesnt take 20 years to get it back to the level they had a couple of years ago.
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For what it’s worth….from Maiden…West Brunswick battled and defeated one helluva program with the old man and his community……in ‘92.
Tip of the cap to the West Brunswick program and their faithful.
….and also wishing continued success for the coach and his family in the future. His heartfelt words touched my heart… further telling me…there’s something special about that program and community over there at West Brunswick.
We haven’t forgotten and never will….just wanted y’all to know.
Tip of the cap to the West Brunswick program and their faithful.
….and also wishing continued success for the coach and his family in the future. His heartfelt words touched my heart… further telling me…there’s something special about that program and community over there at West Brunswick.
We haven’t forgotten and never will….just wanted y’all to know.
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Yea thats the one. Sorry. I'm not up to speed on that area very well. Isnt there a Pine Forest somewhere? Fayetteville maybe?
Exactly why I got out at the end of the season. Miss the coaching part but not all the other BS. Hope he finds balance and happiness.
He is all class. Will be missed. Rumor is now he's going to Horry County across the line to just be an assistant.
Congrats to him if so. That will be a fat raise! I hope he stays in HS football. Good for the kids he's coached and community.
We've already named Caleb Perdue the Interim for this season. Expectations are high. Last years team started almost all first year varsity players after the two year run where he had two great teams. West should be really good this year so continuity will be crucial.
But from what I gathered they are going to open it up in the winter. With the facilities they've put in place and all the work Brett and Jimmy Fletcher did the last five years, I think we will get a lot of good candidates. But our JV teams have been bad the last two years. Its just always going to be a wave with the Brunswick County schools playing the Wilmington schools who have 500 more students.
The article on Coastal Preps said Hickman went 18-9 in the MEC. I think we had two winning conference records the 15 years before he got here. So thats pretty damn impressive when you think of it that way.
But from what I gathered they are going to open it up in the winter. With the facilities they've put in place and all the work Brett and Jimmy Fletcher did the last five years, I think we will get a lot of good candidates. But our JV teams have been bad the last two years. Its just always going to be a wave with the Brunswick County schools playing the Wilmington schools who have 500 more students.
The article on Coastal Preps said Hickman went 18-9 in the MEC. I think we had two winning conference records the 15 years before he got here. So thats pretty damn impressive when you think of it that way.
Caleb Pardue was an assistant there and former Starmount Ram. He’s a great guy.
Guess I was wrong. Heard today he's headed to a college in South Carolina as an Assistant. Good for him. Could see BH progressing to a HC at that level soon. Sharp football mind and excellent program promoter.
We are excited about the future. West has had about 85 guys at summer workouts. Numbers are good and the freshmen class is apparently the best one we've had in a few years.
Caleb Pardue is Josh Pardue’s brother. Josh coached at Walkertown.