South in Market For Three New Head Coaches
by STEVE WILMOTH
TriCitiesSports.com
June 5, 2018
KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The search is one for three new, possibly four, new head coaches at Sullivan South High School.
Open positions in the Rebel athletic program became open when Anthony Richardson and Keith Parker stepped down and Terry Hutson was named as the Lady Rebels head basketball coach last month.
Parker had been boys’ and girls’ soccer coach at South for several years while Richardson has been leading the Rebel golf program for a number of years as well. Hutson's appointment leaves open the South cross country head coaching position.
Richardson led the South golf program to numerous conference, district and regional titles and led the Lady Rebels to the 2013 Class A/AA state championship and the boys to a runner-up Class A/AA finish the same year. South also had a pair of individual state runner-up finishes with recently graduated Tennessee Tech golfer Allyson Dunn and current ETSU golfer Austin Carter.
“We had a really good run in golf, had a lot of great kids who really worked on their games from the time they were in middle school and in the junior golf program,” said Richardson. “We just tried to build on their momentum when they got here.”
Richardson will stay on as Athletic Director and head baseball coach, but will now assist Hutson and the Lady Rebel basketball team. He will also have a daughter involved with Lady Rebel sports next year as well.
“With golf, it was hard trying to get to see her play volleyball in middle school,” added Richardson. “I really didn’t want to miss that this year and then we’ll see how the other sports work out for her.”
Parker always fielded competitive sides for the Rebels and Lady Rebels, sending several of both to their respective regional tournaments.
“Keith ran a solid soccer program and left a good model for whoever is coming in,” continued Richardson. “It could be the same coach for both or we could have one for each.”
Hutson’s appointment as Lady Rebel head basketball coach leaves open the cross country program at South as well.
“Coach Hutson put together some solid cross country teams and sent several runners to the state meet,” noted Richardson. “Basketball workouts start early in the fall and overlap now and he just can’t do both.”
All three jobs have now been listed on the Sullivan Department of Education website and applications may be submitted through the portal.
“Obviously, we hope to get them filled pretty quickly,” said Richardson. “All three involve fall sports. Golf actually starts middle of next month. And soccer and cross country aren’t far behind.”