Per the Daily Mountain Eagle, Dora High School’s head football coach Bart Lockhart has stepped down. He will instead focus on being the schools assistant principal.
Per Coach Lockhart, “We had some fun here. We won some big games. As far as the long term, I always knew that administration was the way I wanted to go. The thing is — I love Walker County, and if I was dead-set in being a coach, I would have to move around to make the next step. I’m not interested in moving my family all over the place.”
“I always knew that eventually coaching was going to play itself out, although I love it. (Football) is part of who I am. It’s been part of my life since I was 8 years old. It’s going to be tough walking away, but I think it’s best for my family and best for our program. We left it better than we found it,” he said.
Lockhart knew this would be his final season as Dora’s head coach, but didn’t inform his team until the season was over.
“I didn’t tell people because I wanted the focus to be about the players, not about it being my last year. I think it was a shock for a lot of them. I told them that now I’m moving from coaching them to being their No. 1 supporter. The relationships I’ve built through coaching the last 12 years — there is nothing like it. Whenever I see guys I’ve coached, all those memories come back.”
Lockhart feels the current Dora team is built for success.
“Whoever comes in and coaches this group is going to be successful. This team reminds me of the senior group my first year. They are really good leaders and really good players. The stable is full. Somebody is walking into a gold mine.”
Dora Principal Paige Abner is excited to see Lockhart in his new role.
“We talked about it and it’s not a breakup, it’s just a transition to a new career. I think he’s a wonderful role model for our students. He is a servant and a leader. I interviewed several applicants and they were all impressive, but Bart knew the landscape and he also knew what I was looking for. I was looking for somebody that knew the community, and looking for an easy transition — and it’s been an easy transition. I know he will be great at it because he’s all in, in whatever he does.”
Read the full article here: https://mountaineagle.com/stories/doras-lockhart-takes-on-new-role,29803 – Support local news!