It’s tough for any football season to end, but this one was especially tough for Apalachee High School head coach Shane Davis.
Having just completed his fourth season with the Wildcats, Davis has seen his first complete class go through his program. The players who are seniors now were freshman when Davis first became head coach prior to the 2005 season.
That’s why the head coach was so emotional in telling his players — and especially his seniors — thank you last Friday night after the state playoff contest against Rome.
“It was tough for it to end,” Davis said. “There is nothing I can do to ever repay them for what they have done. ‘Thanks’ is all I can say. I love each of them.”
Four years ago Apalachee High School named Davis, a career assistant as its new head coach. Davis said for that reason alone the Winder school will always be special to him.
“They gave me a chance,” he said this week. “They put their faith and trust in a person who had never been a head coach before. In return, the players have worked their tails off to be successful.”
Some might have seen the hiring of Davis as somewhat a gamble.
Whenever a high school football head coach opening occurs numerous applicants apply. Such was the case with Apalachee High School. Several resumes with head coaching experience were received.
However, it was Davis who stood out from the pack. After a 1-9 season in 2005, the program has found a new footing. Three straight playoff appearances, a new record for wins this fall and a respect among region and area opponents is something Davis, his coaches and players have worked to develop.
It took some time for the program to get past “hoping to win” to “expecting to win,” Davis said.
“I know for a fact our kids expected to win last Friday night,” the coach said. “When we got here four years ago we hoped to win. That is a step you have to take when building a sucessful program.”
Davis once again said he could not express enough gratitude to this year’s seniors.
“I coach centers and guards and I told Sue Yang it would be the first time in three years I wouldn’t see him with the first group,” the head coach said.
To ensure the ongoing success of the program, working in the weight room will be the key.
Currently, 95 percent of the sophomores, juniors and seniors are in weight training class with most of the freshmen either taking it now or later in the spring.
“I don’t know any other way to do,” Davis said. “We have to go right back to work. We are still going to hurt for this loss and still feel bad. It will be that way the rest of our lives. The only thing I know to do is to get stronger and have an opportunity to win more in the future.”
