ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 14, 1996 TAG: 9611140031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
Ed Scott made it official Wednesday that he's resigning as the football coach at Patrick Henry, but he left open the possibility that he could coach at another school.
Scott said there was no special reason for his decision and that he started thinking about making a move earlier in the season when Patrick Henry beat Cave Spring to run its record to 6-1. The Patriots were upset the next week by Franklin County and they lost their final three games.
``At the end of the season, the response wasn't what I wanted. The way we played. There was also a slight health issue,'' Scott said, elaborating on why he decided to end a seven-year tenure as the Patriots' coach.
``In the last couple of months, it seemed like I was dealing with different type problems. Coaching football was almost secondary. I might take this too personal, but I felt my job is to motivate.
``Our off-season program improved a lot, but this [past] summer, it wasn't what was needed. I thought it fell off. The summer is when you form a team and [the off-season work wasn't what] we needed to take it to the next level. We weren't getting participation so we went into the season and weren't as physical and strong as I thought we should be.''
Patrick Henry was 36-37 during Scott's tenure. The Patriots finished with four consecutive winning seasons and a 33-20 mark during that span. PH shared the Roanoke Valley District title in 1995 with perennial power Pulaski County.
Scott, 53, said his plan entering this season was to coach four more years and then retire. When the Patriots started off 6-1 with a loss only to second-ranked George Washington-Danville, it seemed like a sign for Scott to continue.
``We weren't playing very well,'' Scott said. ``The team found ways to win, but the intensity wasn't where I wanted it to be. I thought we were putting it together as a team, but it never came together as a team.
``For Patrick Henry to move on, maybe someone else can say something that will get them over the hump. I didn't know if I could spark them to get them to the next level.''
Scott will continue as a teacher at PH unless he finds another job coaching. ``That's tough because not many people want to take a coach at my age. I have had no contact with any other schools and I don't know what options I have, but I should know something by Christmas.''
Patrick Henry athletic director Dave Osborne tried Monday to talk Scott out of resigning and after their talk felt there was a chance. Scott didn't submit his resignation in writing to PH principal Betty Lee until Wednesday even though he told the Patriots after their final game against William Fleming last Friday night that he wouldn't be returning as the coach.
Lee said she would begin searching for a new coach immediately. ``I'd like to move as quickly as I can so that don't have any lull between the close of this season and the start of [preparations for] the next season. We want to keep the strength we already have,'' Lee said.
LENGTH: Medium: 59 linesby CNB