Crestline football coach King announces resignation

Football.

Photo: getty images

According to Richlandsource.com -

CRESTLINE -- Crestline football coach Jonny King has announced his resignation. King is also the school's athletic director and plans to continue working at the school in that position.

He was the head football coach for three years, compiling a 5-22 record.

King explained his decision in a letter to the board of education on Wednesday night. It reads as follows:

It has been a lifelong dream of mine to be a head football coach. Football has been a part of my life since my first season of 2nd grade biddy football in Upper Arlington. As a high school football player at Clear Fork, my aspirations were already focused on my future as a coach rather than a collegiate player. I will be forever grateful to the leadership, administration, athletes and community of Crestline for entrusting me to lead this program for the past three years and giving me the opportunity to live out this dream of mine. While this is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make, with the interest of the football program and its athletes in mind, I respectfully ask that you accept my resignation from the position of head football coach as I believe I am no longer best suited to give this program and these athletes the time, energy and leadership required to continue moving this program forward.

I am extremely proud of the work we have done these past three years. While the wins and loss record may not indicate a successful tenure, I stand by what was accomplished and truly believe it will yield success down the road, both on and off the field. I am proud of our work with our middle school and youth football programs. Having a community flag football program and a healthy middle school football program back at Crestline will pay massive dividends in the long run. I am proud of the equipment upgrades and advances we have made with the football program that will hopefully set the next coach up for success. But most of all, I am proud of the young men I had the privilege to work with, challenging them and developing their character, that may be better suited for leadership and to face life beyond football and school.

Football is the ultimate team sport, and that pertains to coaching as well. I am truly grateful to have been supported by excellent administrators, assistant coaches, parents, athletes and the Crestline community, including alumni across the country. Crestline is a special community and I am honored to have been welcomed into it and truly experienced what it means to have a community behind you. I have had the privilege of working with some excellent men on my coaching staff that have shared a common vision for both the Crestline football program and our individual athletes. Their commitment and care for our athletes was evident in all that they did. It has been a special group to have worked with, they have become friendships I cherish deeply. My biggest supporters from day one have been my wife and kids. They have been behind me (or beside me on Friday nights), every step of the way, for which I cannot be grateful enough, but that has come with a lot of sacrifice on their part. They have not begrudged that sacrifice, but as my kids are getting more and more involved with their own athletics and activities, and my wife has been a coach's wife for 13 years now, it is time I make some sacrifices of my own.

I am excited for the future of Crestline football. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the pieces are in place to turn the corner. In my current position, both professionally and personally, however, I am unable to commit the time, energy and attention required to lead this program in the manner that these athletes and this community deserve. This past year it was made evident that I am not able to lead this program in a manner that is acceptable to my standards while trying to balance my other professional and personal responsibilities. It would be unfair to these athletes and this community for me to remain in this position. I have every intention of staying in the district and continuing to support the football program in my capacity as the athletic director. If and when the opportunity presents itself in the near future, I am sure I will continue coaching in some capacity in the Crestline district, it is in my blood. In the meantime, I am committed to finding the next head football coach that will share our vision for our athletes and the program, and will be able to pour into them as I have these last three years, and hopefully, experience success far beyond what I was able to achieve.

Thank you to Mr. (Matthew) Henderson and Mr. (Kevin) Fourman who have believed in what I set out to establish here at Crestline and supported me throughout the ups and downs of the process. Thank you to the parents and families over the past three years who entrusted your children to me. Finally, thank you to the Bulldog football players that bought into the process, that committed to doing things the right way, that built a brotherhood and allowed me to be a part of it. It has been an honor to coach at Crestline. Whatever comes in life, I will always be a Bulldog.


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