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McKissick’s 59th Season At Summerville Ties Record For Coaching Longevity With Alonzo Stagg
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Summerville—Just 24 wins shy of a world record 600 career wins, Summerville coaching legend John McKissick (576-133-13) will soon tie Hall of Famer Alonzo Stagg for number of seasons in coaching at 59.
“I don’t worry about records at all,” said Coach McKissick. “I am just thankful to have good health and I still look forward to coming to work every day. We have a lot of skill people back on offense but we are a little concerned about the defense right now.”
Coach McKissick was quite frank about the challenges faced in the coaching profession. “It can be hard to keep a good group of coaches together because the pay can be shallow in comparison to the number of hours you must put in to build winning programs,” said Coach McKissick. “Coaches don’t get paid nearly enough for the hours that they put in I can assure you, regardless of what sport they coach. If you are going to be successful and build a winner you have to put in the time. It can be a very challenging profession.”
The Green Wave coaching staff once again has no changes on the varsity football staff. However, Matt Legree will be the new head girl’s basketball coach succeeding Hall of Fame coach Teresa Kendle who will coach only volleyball this season. Steve Cotter is back as the golf coach and Darryl Tucker returns as the Green Wave wrestling coach. Edmund Carson is back coaching the Green wave soccer team and long time coach Bob Polk is back on board with the girl’s soccer program. Dr. Gregg Elliott will be back as the boy’s basketball coach also.
Two other Hall of Fame coaches have retired in the husband and wife duo of Jim and Eileen Kilbreth. The Kilbreth’s headed up the Green Wave cross country program the past few years after coaching in Spartanburg for over 25 years.
“We were very fortunate to have the coaching leadership of Jim and Eileen and we will miss them both,” said Coach McKissick. “The cross country program comes under the track program so I have asked our head track coach Steve Wilson to assist me in finding a new cross country coach and we are close to having that coach named.”
In addition the Green Wave has lost tennis coach Bryant McKee who is now at Pinewood Prep. The school is also in the process of naming a new varsity tennis coach.
On a related matter former long time Summerville tennis coach, Barbara Blanton passed away in April of this year. “Barbara Blanton was pure Green and Gold and she was one of the best tennis coaches around,” said Coach McKissick. ‘She’ll be missed by everyone associated with Summerville athletics. She was a winner.”
The football staff is once again comprised of 35 plus year coaching veteran Fred Edwards who coaches receivers and advises on defense. Britt Blanton and Comp McCurry will coach linebackers and Coach Wilson returns to coach the secondary. Allen Bridges, nearing 20 years of experience will coach the defensive line.
On offense Joe Call returns to coach the running backs and quarterbacks and Jody Kafina is back coaching up the offensive line with help from assistant Preston Giet. Ken White returns as a volunteer assistant and Bruce Lavelle is also back as team manager.
The Green Wave has one of the best equipment managers in high school football in the person of Bobby Miller. “We couldn’t do it without Bobby,” said Coach McKissick last year. “He’s more important than any of us.”
Donna Crowe will return as the athletic secretary after doing an outstanding job for the past ten years.
Summerville is ranked among the top five AAAA teams in the state based on the return of a core group of skill players led by junior quarterback Dalton Saunders, senior running back senior DeAngelo Henderson, and receivers Cody Reese and Chris Williams.
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