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tidefan102
AHSFHS Moderator
792 Posts |
 Posted - 01/08/2010 : 18:45:44
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Perry Swindall steps down at LaFayette
Citing family considerations, Perry Swindall has resigned as head football coach at LaFayette high School after two seasons on the job.
Swindall turned in his resignation to the Walker County School Board on Tuesday.
He went 11-9 in his two seasons at the Ramblers' helm after being hired in March of 2008 to replace Tommy Welch, who stepped down after three seasons to take a job at Franklin County (Ga.) High School.
Swindall said he and his family would be moving closer to Oxford, Miss. where his oldest son, Evan, is set to begin his college football playing career at the University of Mississippi this coming fall.
"We've been considering this since Evan signed with Ole Miss, and we've been talking about it for about several months now," Swindall explained. "I've got a son going to play football in the SEC and it's a lifelong dream, but (Oxford) is too far away from here to enjoy what I want to enjoy the next four years.
"It's going to be impossible to get to enjoy watching him play and do (LaFayette's) program justice. (Stepping down) is the best thing for our family right now, and the time just seems right to go ahead and make the change."
Swindall?s first season with LaFayette saw the Ramblers go 6-4, their first winning campaign since 2003, after tallying just one victory in 2007. They advanced to the Region 6-AAA playoffs where they fell to Central-Carroll.
This past season, the Ramblers ended the year with a 5-5 record.
He said he felt the LaFayette program was on the right track.
"I see only good things ahead for the program," he said. "The kids have worked their tails off to improve and they got better every week," he said. "They really bought into what we were trying to do and they developed a really competitive nature."
Swindall came to LaFayette after 18 years as a head coach in Alabama, where he amassed a 174-54 record and 15 state playoff appearances.
He was 37-14 in the postseason in Alabama, winning a state title at Class 4A Daleville in 1992 and collecting three state runner-up finishes at Class 5A Russellville.
He served for one year as an assistant coach at Spain Park High in Hoover, Ala. prior to taking the job at LaFayette.
"I want to thank everyone involved with the program the last two years," he added. "There are good people here and we had good support from the community and the adminstration, and the school's administration cares about all of its programs.
"I think the school will find some good to take over because there are kids here who have worked hard to make this a good job. I wish LaFayette nothing but success in the future and I'm glad to have been a part of it here."
Swindall said his current plan was to finish out the school year at LaFayette, although he added he would begin the search for a new job immediately.
Mike Naugher |
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Perry Swindall
