Coaches find greener grass

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Coaches find greener grass

By Gregg Dewalt

Sports Editor

Three head coaches who swapped their local addresses over the summer for trendy assistantships in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover are enjoying their new jobs in new settings.

Former Russellville head coach Perry Swindall is the defensive coordinator at Spain Park, while former Colbert Heights head coach Chip Lindsey and former Sheffield head coach Kevin Rose joined Rush Propst's staff at Hoover. Last Friday, it was like a Shoals coaching reunion on the sideline when Hoover beat rival Spain Park 23-7.

For Lindsey and Rose, who coached on the Class 3A level, the allure of coaching on the top level in perhaps the best 6A region in the state proved to be too good to pass up.

For Swindall, stepping away from the grind of being a head coach has had its advantages.

"There is something to be said for not having to make all of the decisions," Swindall said Wednesday. "It's one of those deals where I've probably slept more and had more fun in the past few months than I have in a long time. There's always pressure, but it's a different kind of pressure. I'm enjoying this a whole lot more than when I was a head coach."

Swindall said the move has been good for his two sons - Evan, who is a starting offensive lineman for the Bucs, and Joseph, who has moved into a starting role on the middle school team.

"Evan was a good 5A player, but it's been good for him to have to step up," Swindall said. "Now he knows what he has to do to become a good 6A player. It's good for him to have to play against an all-state defensive tackle everyday in practice. There are 90 kids on the middle school team and Joseph has become a starter. It's been good for him to be able to compete on that level."

Lindsey is Hoover's offensive coordinator. He said the transition from Colbert Heights was relatively smooth.

"I guess the biggest thing was just the size and the magnitude of the program," Lindsey said. "I wanted to learn more about this offense and I wanted to see how a program this size is run. There's not a better program in the state to learn in."

The numbers game is another major difference for Lindsey and Rose. Hoover's varsity program consists of 75 juniors and seniors.

"That's a big difference from when I first got to Colbert Heights and we had 27 players," Lindsey said. "There were days when we didn't have enough to go 11-on-11."

Swindall and Lindsey agreed that the Hoover school system is among the best in the state.

"Russellville has a great system," Swindall said. "But this is one of those school systems that doesn't want for anything."

Added Lindsey, "We have so much technology available to us and everything is so detail oriented. It's a lot different."

It didn't take Rose and Lindsey long to get a taste of Hoover's big-time reputation - the Bucs flew to Cincinnati to play in the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge the opening weekend of the season. Hoover lost to Colerain, a national power, in overtime.

"That was a good experience for us and a fun trip," Lindsey said.

All three coaches said they have been keeping tabs on their former teams.

"I have a lot of friends in Russellville and it's great to see them doing well," Swindall said. "I knew they would be good. They have some talented players and they know how to win. When I left, I knew they would be fine. The time to leave is when you are on top. You don't want to leave when the cupboard is bare."

"I try to keep up with Colbert Heights," Lindsey said. "I miss them a lot."

"I call Sheffield every week," Rose said. "They had a rough one Friday night. They are going to do fine."

However, Rose said he doesn't miss coaching at Sheffield.

"I don't mean that as a negative, though," he said. "I was a coach on the 3A level for 14 years. I was ready for a change and this has helped me a lot. I've learned a lot about running a big-time prorgram. If I get the opportunity somewhere down the road to be a head coach at the 5A or 6A level, I want to be ready. I'm happy here, but I definitely want to be a head coach again."

Gregg Dewalt can be reached at 740-5748 or gregg.dewalt@timesdaily.com.

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Lindsey is Hoover's offensive coordinator. He said the transition from Colbert Heights was relatively smooth.

"I guess the biggest thing was just the size and the magnitude of the program," Lindsey said. "I wanted to learn more about this offense and I wanted to see how a program this size is run. There's not a better program in the state to learn in."

...ahem...cough...cough...learn "what"?? How to change grades, intimidate teachers, get face time on MTV, or cheat on your wife?

Just speculating, of course...