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By MATTHEW BROWN
Journal Sports Writer
First, it was David Bruce. Now, Stacey Harden will take his experience as a coordinator for Warner Robins High football into a new head coaching position.
In a unanimous vote, the Houston County Board of Education approved Harden as the new athletic director and head football coach for Perry High School beginning with the 2010-2011 school year. Harden has 19 years experience as an assistant coach at Warner Robins, Westside and Troup high schools.
It all began in 1991 when he joined Robert Davis’ staff at WRHS. Harden then followed Davis to Westside in Macon as offensive coordinator in 1997. He was also offensive coordinator at Troup in LaGrange from 2000-03, and in 2004 Harden – along with Bruce – returned to Warner Robins in Bryan Way’s first year as head coach.
With 10 years as an assistant under Davis, Harden said it’s impossible to list all he learned about running a football program.
“His influence is so wide, I don’t know where to start,” he said. “You’re going to be organized, intense, and you are going to take care of the kids. You realize if you are going to win football games and have a good program, you have to have the kids out there.
“It’s just so vast in every aspect, how you have relationships with people and the kids.”
While Harden was Way’s offensive coordinator since 2004, Bruce ran the defensive side of the football. Bruce, who also coached under Davis at both Warner Robins and Westside, will be the first head football coach and athletic director for Veterans High. Veterans, which opens in Houston County this coming fall, will be a Region 2-AAA rival of Harden’s new team at Perry High. Both can bring the experience of winning a state championship with an undefeated Demons team in 2004.
“Me and David have been friends for a long time,” said Harden. “We’re both pretty competitive. He does a great job with what he does and what he believes in. I think it’s one of those relationship things that’s real important.
“It was great to be back in Warner Robins (in 2004). It was great to have the success we had. It was great to be back amongst friends and people we started our careers with. To be put in that situation and have that kind of success, it’s unparalleled.”
For his first athletic director’s job, Harden turned his attention to the opening in Perry mainly because it is a part of the Houston County school system.
“I looked at the possibilities with this community,” he said. “This community is Perry High School. It’s not going anywhere. To be able to get here and coach these kids and be around the people, it’s very alluring.”
Harden also welcomes to chance to work with Perry High’s principal, Darryl Albritton.
“I’ve heard several times about the good things he’s done,” he said. “I haven’t heard anybody say anything bad. I’ve looked at the facilities; they’re well kept, nice and clean.”
“We are excited to have Coach Harden come on board as our new athletic director at Perry High School,” said Albritton. “His passion for the game and strong desire to compete at the highest level were evident and compelling during his interviews.”
Harden is faced with a rebuilding job as the Panther football program has just three wins in the last two seasons. It wasn’t that long ago, however, that Perry set a record for wins in 2007 and had five players sign with Division I schools under former head coach Andy Scott.
“The first thing to do is talk to Dr. Albritton and meet the kids and the coaches, the faculty and the people in the community,” said Harden. “Start establishing some relationships. Let the kids know we are going to work hard, but I want to get to know them, too. We are going to expect the best from them.
“We’re going to be intense and do the right things. We’re going to love these kids and take care of them.”
As for what kind of football Perry fans can expect to see, Harden said it’s too early to set any schemes since he hasn’t yet evaluated the personnel. He said he does want to have an ‘attack and read’ defense where players know their assignments and fly to the football.
His offensive sets, again, will come as he can study the players coming back.
“There’s been a lot of success at Perry High School,” said Harden about the overall program he will oversee. It’s a program with recent region championships in soccer and softball as well as the baseball team’s final four run in 2009.
“As the athletic director, I want to support the coaches who coach sports other than football and support the kids who play those sports. It has to be a rewarding athletic experience for all the kids.
“Yes, I want football to do good. I want Perry to be the best we can be at everything we do. The first and foremost thing is kids are in school to get an education and graduate from high school.”
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