Prep Football Preview 2009
Danville's Harp approaching coaching milestone
By LARRY VAUGHT
larry@amnews.com
Danville coach Sam Harp is closing in on 300 career wins, but he says none of his success would have been possible without the support and understanding of his wife, Karen. (Clay Jackson photo) |
Looking ahead has never been part of Sam Harp’s coaching package.
For him, it’s always been a day-to-day process with a long-range forecast being the next game.
That’s why the veteran Danville coach still isn’t quite sure what to make of the milestone he seems destined to reach this year. Only four high school football coaches in Kentucky have ever won 300 or more games. Both Harp and Mike Glaser of St. Xavier should join that elite group soon.
“I never even thought about what might happen as far as the number of games I would win. It was always day-to-day deal. I was doing something I dreamed about doing once I started coaching. I never though about career aspirations beyond what to do that day or the next,” said Harp.
He has a 294-87 record in 29 years as a head coach at Calloway County, Anderson County and Danville. Most of his success has been at Danville where he has seven state championships going into the Aug. 21 season-opening game at Mason County.
“I knew there was a point that I wanted to be a head coach and it happened sooner than it does for most. I only spent three years as an assistant at Franklin County before I got my first head job. I didn’t know what to do other than to put my elbows to the desk, put my head down and get after it. I’ve never changed that philosophy,” Harp said.
He knows he was lucky to get that first head coaching job. However, he also knows if his wife, Karen, had not been a Calloway County graduate, he may never have pursued the job.
“I had a couple of coaching buddies call on my behalf to get my foot in the door for the interview. Fortunately I had a good interview and got offered the job at 26 years old,” Harp laughed and said. “I was young enough then to think I had all the answers. Looking back, I can now say how dumb was I? You go into it young, excited, brash and just thinking you can get it done and not really fully understand all that is involved in being a head coach. There is a lot more than X’s and O’s.. It’s quite a learning experience.”
“You would have thought we won the Super Bowl. Then the second year we went 10-2 and got to the playoffs. We had Franklin-Simpson, which was ranked No. 1 in Class AAA at the time, down 14-0 and lost 21-20. But that was our breakout season,” Harp said.
The third year he got a lesson in coaching heartbreak. His team couldn’t advance to the playoffs because the Kentucky High School Athletic Association tiebreaker didn’t count out of state games and Calloway had two wins over Tennessee teams.
“A team we beat by 40 points went to the playoffs and we watched,” Harp said.
He stayed at Calloway two more years before he got another coaching lesson — good times don’t always last.
“The administration and myself did not get together very well at the end. That was back during a time (school) board members felt they could tell you what to do and when to do it. There were too many chiefs around and I knew it was time to move on,” Harp said.
That brought him to Anderson County, a place close to his family.
“As long as you treated the kids right, they left you alone. We had good success, too. At that time, games were not on the radio. If you wanted to see the game or know about it, you had to go since the weekly newspaper didn’t come out until Wednesday,” Harp said.
“It was standing room only every time we played. People in the town really supported us. We took great crowds everywhere. The first year they hadn’t had a winning season in six years and we went 7-4. It wound up a great deal. My wife and kids loved it.”
But in 1988 he finally was persuaded to leave to come to Danville. It was not an easy move — and not one his wife and kids totally endorsed initially. However, it has worked out well for him — and the Admirals.
So what will winning 300 games mean — and there’s no reason to doubt he’ll get it this year since he’s averaged 10 wins per season and has won at least seven games every year he’s been at Danville.
“Honestly, it’s just another win. It has been about the kids and the coaches I have had with me along the way,” Harp, 56, said. “Truthfully, I hadn’t thought about the 300 wins until people started asking recently. It just hadn’t dawned on me until then that I was close. And that’s the honest truth.
“It also tells you I have had a loving, understanding wife and great kids. Without them, I couldn’t have done this for so long. My wife has been so understanding and has sacrificed so much for me.”
Harp retired as a full-time athletics director last spring, but came back as head football coach with limited athletics director duties. While he’s in no hurry to quit, he doesn’t envision going for his 400th win.
“I don’t know how much longer I will go. I don’t see myself slowing down. I feel more rejuvenated this year than I have forever,” Harp said. “I can’t imagine going home and sitting on my butt.
“I love the game. I still get butterflies before games and get excited when I see kids do well. It’s still exciting to see kids as freshmen I think will never play and they make a liar out of me by the time they are seniors.
“Then there is camaraderie with my assistant coaches. I can’t imagine not having that. I don’t know how much longer it can all last, but it’s been a wonderful ride that I am not ready to end.”
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
Driving directions to sites outside the Advocate’s coverage area where area schools will play this season (all directions are from Danville unless noted; mileages are estimated):
Anderson County (Lawrenceburg) — From Harrodsburg: U.S. 127 north to Lawrenceburg, school entrance is first right past intersection with U.S. 62. Miles from Harrodsburg: 20.
Campbellsville — From Harrodsburg: U.S. 68 to west Campbellsville, left on Columbia Avenue or Hoskins Avenue, right on West Main Street, school is less than 1/4-mile on left. Miles from Harrodsburg: 50.
Christian County (Hopkinsville) — From Danville: U.S. 150 west to Bardstown, Bluegrass Parkway west to Elizabethtown, Western Kentucky Parkway west to Nortonville, Pennyrile Parkway south to Hopkinsville. Turn right at end of parkway on U.S. 41A south (Fort Campbell Boulevard), left on Bypass U.S. 68 (Eagle Way), left on Jerry Claiborne Way into Tie Breaker Park. Stadium is just ahead on right. Miles from Danville: 196.
Clinton County (Albany) — U.S. 127 south to Albany, school is 3 miles south of intersection with Ky. 90 on left. Miles from Liberty: 54.
Corbin — From Danville: U.S. 127 south to Danville, U.S. 150 east to Mount Vernon, Interstate 75 south to Corbin. Exit to U.S. 25E (exit 29), left off ramp to U.S. 25E South (Cumberland Gap Parkway), right on U.S. 25 South (Dixie Highway), left on Bell Avenue, immediate right on Laurel Avenue, left on Barbourville Street, field is just ahead on left. Miles from Danville: 70.
East Jessamine (Nicholasville) — From Danville: Ky. 34 and U.S. 27 north to Nicholasville, right on business U.S. 27, right on Ky. 39 (Maple Street), left on Maple Leaf Lane, school is 1/4-mile ahead. Miles from Danville: 23.
Estill County (Irvine) — From Lancaster: Ky. 52 east to Irvine, cross Kentucky River and go straight on Ky. 89 north (Main Street), school is 3 1/2 miles ahead on left. Miles from Lancaster: 45.
Fort Knox — From Danville: U.S. 150 west to Bardstown, Blue Grass Parkway west to Interstate 65, Interstate 65 north 1 mile to U.S. 62 (exit 94), left off ramp on U.S. 62 (Mulberry Street), right on Ky. 3005 (Ring Road), right on U.S. 31W (Dixie Highway) north to Fort Knox, exit to East Bullion Boulevard, take first right past checkpoint on Park Road, right on Dixie Street, left on Missouri Street, left on Mississippi Street, school is on right, field is behind school. Miles from Danville: 85.
Frankfort — From Danville: U.S. 127 north to Frankfort, left on U.S. 421 north (Bald Knob Road), right on Benson Avenue, left on Kentucky Avenue. Bellepoint Baptist Church is 1/10-mile ahead on left; field is behind church. Miles from Danville: 43.
Marion County (Lebanon) — From Harrodsburg: U.S. 68 west to Lebanon, school is 3/4-mile past intersection with Ky. 1195. Miles from Harrodsburg: 30.
Mason County (Maysville) — From Danville: Ky. 34 east and U.S. 27 north to Lexington, left on Ky. 4 west (New Circle Road), left on U.S. 27/68 north/east (Paris Pike) to Paris, stay on U.S. 68 to Maysville, school is 1/4-mile past intersection with AA Highway (Ky. 9) on right. Miles from Danville: 98.
Meade County (Brandenburg) — From Stanford: U.S. 150 west to Bardstown, Blue Grass Parkway west to Interstate 65, Interstate 65 north 1 mile to U.S. 62 (exit 94), left off ramp on U.S. 62 (Mulberry Street), right on Ky. 3005 (Ring Road), right on U.S. 31W (Dixie Highway) north to Muldraugh, left on Ky. 1638 west to Brandenburg Station, right at end of road on Ky. 448 north to Brandenburg, left on Ky. 1051 west (Bypass Road), right on Ky. 710 (Old State Road), school is 3/4-mile ahead on left, field is behind school. Miles from Stanford: 115.
Perry County Central (Hazard) — From Liberty: U.S. 127 south to Phil, left on Ky. 910 south to Windsor, left on Ky. 80 east to Nancy, left on Cumberland Parkway east to Somerset, straight on Ky. 80 east to London, Hal Rogers Parkway east to Hazard. Exit to Ky. 15/80 (exit 59), right off ramp to Ky. 15 south, first left on Crawford Mountain Road, left at end of road on Combs Road (Ky. 1088), field is 1/2-mile on left. Miles from Liberty: 125.
Powell County (Stanton) — From Liberty: U.S. 127 north to Danville, Ky. 34 east and U.S. 27 north to Lexington, right on Ky. 4 (New Circle Road) east, exit to U.S. 60 east (exit 13, Winchester Road), left on Interstate 75 north, right on Interstate 64 east to Winchester, right on Mountain Parkway east (exit 98) to Stanton. Exit to Ky. 213 (exit 22), right off ramp to Ky. 213 north (South Main Street), left on Ky. 11/15 (West College Avenue), school is 1 mile ahead on right, field is behind school. Miles from Liberty: 110.
Pulaski County (Somerset) — From Harrodsburg: U.S. 127 south to Danville, U.S. 150 east to Stanford, U.S. 27 south to Somerset, left on McKee Road, right on Stanford Road (old U.S. 27), left on Ky. 1575 (University Drive), school is 1 mile ahead on left. Miles from Harrodsburg: 52.
Rockcastle County (Mount Vernon) — From Stanford: U.S. 150 south to Mount Vernon, left on Ky. 461 north, right on Ky. 1326 (West Main Street), right at Rockcastle County Middle School, field is behind school. Miles from Stanford: 24.
Somerset — From Danville: U.S. 150 east to Stanford, U.S. 27 south to Somerset, left on Ky. 80, right on Barnett Street, field is in Meece Middle School complex on right. Miles from Danville: 45. From Lancaster: U.S. 27 south to Somerset, left on Ky. 80, right on Barnett Street, field is in Meece Middle School complex on right. Miles from Lancaster: 41.
Southwestern (Somerset) — From Harrodsburg: U.S. 127 south to Danville, U.S. 150 east to Stanford, U.S. 27 south to Somerset, right on Ky. 1577 (Oak Hill Road), right on Ky. 3261 (Oak Hill-Saline Road). School is 3/4-mile ahead on left. Miles from Harrodsburg: 59.
Tates Creek (Lexington) — From Harrodsburg: U.S. 68 east to Lexington, right on Man O’War Boulevard, left on Tates Creek road, right on Armstrong Mill Road, left on Greentree Road, right on Centre Parkway, straight on Spendthrift Road into school campus, field is to the left. Miles from Harrodsburg: 33.
Taylor County (Campbellsville) — From Lancaster: Ky. 52 west to Danville, U.S. 150 west to Perryville, left on U.S. 68 west to Campbellsville, school is less than 1 mile inside city limit on right. Miles from Lancaster: 59. From Liberty: Ky. 70 west to Campbellsville, right on U.S. 68 east, school is 1 mile on left. Miles from Liberty: 30.
—Mike Marsee