Central athletic director Mitch Leaird retires after 34 years with Eagles sports
Leaird was baseball head coach for 27 years, JV football head coach for 22 years and AD for 12 years
Pageland – Mitch Leaird graduated from Central High School in 1987. Right after earning his college degree, he was back at Central as a coach and a teacher.
His run at the school came to an end with the just completed school year as Leaird announced his retirement after 34 years. He was the baseball head coach for 27 years, the junior varsity football coach for 22 years and the athletic director for the past 12 years.
“I just felt like it was the right time for me to walk away,” said Leaird, who spent most of those years teaching algebra as well. “The program is going to be in good hands with (football head coach) Jonathan Eason. He’s going to do a super job.”
Leaird said as soon as he graduated from college an opening for a coach and teacher came open at Central. Football head coach Al Usher and baseball head coach Joey Mangum, both of whom Leaird played for as a Central athlete, encouraged him to take the position.
“I came right back home,” Leaird said. “It was like it was meant to be. I actually lived a dream job. What I wanted to do when I was in high school was to teach and coach, and to get to come home and do it at your alma mater is great. Central High School and its athletics has been very special to me.”
Eason, who is preparing for his third year as football head coach and a Central graduate like Leaird, thinks he is walking into a great situation with his new post.
“I'm excited about going into the AD role,” he said. “I feel like Coach Leaird has made it a very smooth transition. He has set a great foundation by hiring a lot of great coaches that are all returning to Central. I'm really excited about getting to work with all the athletes at the school now, and I am really excited about the future of Central athletics.
“Our boys were very successful this past year. Football made the fourth round (lower state championship) of the (AA state) playoffs, basketball made the third round, baseball was region champs, golf just won their eighth region championship in a row, track (and field) and cross country continue to be very strong programs throughout the state, and our new soccer program is growing every day. I feel like our girls programs are all heading in the right direction. Each program is showing improvement, so I am very excited about what the future holds for all these teams.”
Desmond Sowell returns as the boys basketball coach, Trent Strickland will do baseball, Joel Dale will do boys and girls cross country and share the duties with Billy Blakeney for boys and girls track, John Nall is the soccer coach, JT McManus will do girls basketball, Hannah Kirkley volleyball, DJ Middleton softball, Randy Cryster golf and Stephanie Rivers and Kimberly Welch cheer.
Eason has most of his football staff returning. Jody Sellers returns as the offensive coordinator and the quarterbacks coach, while Kyle Pollard will again be the defensive coordinator and strength coach.
The other returning offensive coaches are Jacob Aldridge with wide receivers and Paul Tomberlin as the passing game coordinator. Hayden Wilks, who joins the staff after coaching at Class A runner-up Lamar last season, will be the offensive line coach.
On defense, Cornelius Chambers will handle the line, Dieon Mason and Tomberlin will coach the defensive backs with Mason also being the JV head coach, Strickland will coach the linebackers, Darius Gladden will coach the JV defensive line and newcomer Brandon Rollins will handle the JV offensive line.
