| 3/13/2009 3:00:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Kirk Chism |
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Ex-assistant Chism to head Trimble Co. football
Mark Campbell
Sports Editor
When members of Trimble County's football team met their new head coach this morning very few introductions were necessary.
That's because the school has hired from within by naming former assistant Kirk Chism as the successor to former head coach Johnny Poynter.
Chism, a Madison graduate who played football for the Cubs in the 1980s, is a former middle school and varsity assistant with the Raiders. The school's boys golf coach last year, Chism stepped away from football in 2008 but before that had worked with the Raiders linemen under Poynter.
Poynter, hired in 2005, announced his resignation in January to take the head coaching job at Bourbon County. In Trimble, Poynter had taken over a program that had lost 25 straight in 2005 and posted a 22-23 record in four seasons to leave as the school's career wins leader.
Trimble County athletic director Frank Ragland said Chism should be able to build on that success.
"We thought Kirk was the right man for the job," Ragland said this morning. "He has a passion for the game, he knows the local area and our kids, and his availability was good in that he already teaches in our school."
Chism, who teaches social studies, was the top choice by the school's search committee, and Trimble's Site-Based Council confirmed that recommendation Thursday. Ragland said the search took about a month and, although Chism was the only current faculty member to apply, about 15 to 20 applications were received.
"Kirk has a good knowledge of football and he brings an energy to the program," Ragland said. "He is somebody we think will keep building our program and work with it from the ground up. He's the kind of guy who will be in this for the long haul. The kind of guy who will build and maintain a program year after year."
Chism's hiring comes in time to use the final week of the spring practice period. However, Ragland said he is not sure if Chism will exercise that opportunity or instead focus on the program's off-season weight training program.
Ragland said Chism's first job will be to fill out the rest of his coaching staff. He said Chism has several candidates for those slots already in mind so the process should be smooth.
Chism was unavailable for comment this morning because he was in a meeting with his players.
Ragland said a community reception for Chism will be held later this month. The date will be announced as soon as possible.
"We want introduce him to the community and give people a chance to meet him," Ragland said.
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