Kearson retires at ECI

After 14 seasons as head football coach at ECI and 29 years of teaching and coaching, Chris Kearson announced his retirement recently. Coach Kearson leaves ECI as the winningest coach in ECI program history with a 112-52 career record as head coach. Chris has an 84-25 record as assistant coach at ECI, mostly as defensive coordinator, with an overall Peach Co. and ECI football coaching record of 252-94.

No stranger to the playoffs, coach Kearson has been involved in seven semifinal games, four state championship games and two state titles. (Both state titles were as assistant and head coach at ECI.) Chris was also selected as Assistant Coach of the Year six times during his career.

Kearson was defensive coordinator with ECI for their 2007 state championship season along with the 2008 state runner-up team. He led the Bulldogs to the 2012 class A state champion-ship with a 14-1 season with the only loss to class AAA state runner-up Washington Co. Before coming to ECI, coach Kearson was an assistant coach at Peach Co. where Peach won six region championships and a state runner-up. Chris was selected as the head coach of the 2018 Food City Border Bowl recording a win for Georgia against North Carolina’s all-star team.

I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to Chris during the snow days last week. Growing up on a farm and around the farming community, one thing you notice is that farmers never completely retire, they just plant less. The same can be said for coaches who just have it in their blood to mold and shape young men. “I’m retiring from both teaching and coaching currently with plans on returning somewhere at some capacity with 49% or full time in a private school setting,” commented Kearson about his future plans. “I might even do something unrelated to education.”

About his possible return to coaching in some aspect: “I’m quite certain I’ll coach again. Believe it or not, I’ve stored a lot of football knowledge in this pea brain if mine. I like the connection to the player, the feeling you get seeing your guys succeed and watching the sunset on the green field on a Friday afternoon.”

When asked about the timing of his retirement: “I felt like this was a good time for me and a good time for our program. I want to see this program be successful and with the new facility, a large group of returning starters and coaching staff intact, they are in great shape.”

With the long season and then off-season training, football is just about a 12-month sea-son. Another factor in Chris’s retirement timing, he will now have two of his own in college. His son Bryce is already playing college baseball and his daughter Jayna, with four rings on her finger, two softball and two state championships in discus, there is a good possibility that Chris will be following them both next year. Jayna will be competing for her third consecutive discus championship title this spring.

Coach Kearson not only prepares these young men to be successful on Friday nights but also emphasized and prepared them in the classroom. “The coaches I know are just as proud of a student’s academic success as they are their athletic success. Being well rounded as an athlete is very important to achieving optimal success.”

As a coach and especially a head coach, you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. “The coaches I’ve work with not only here, but at Peach Co., are some of the best men in the game. I’ve learned more from them than they ever learned from me. Probably one of the toughest things for me is the fear of the unknown. Not being part of this staff is bittersweet, but I’ve always said, ‘nothing lasts forever’.”

When traveling to different stadiums, one thing you notice is that Bulldog fans travel and support their hometown team, traveling as far as four hours to support their Bulldogs. “Our fans are some of the best in the business. They are passionate about their football and if you’ve been through Twin City on a Friday night, they’re either at Rountree Stadium or on the road supporting the boys in someone else’s stadium.”

About the booster club with the different change over in make-up and leadership during your years at ECI: “Our booster club has been a great supporter of all the programs at ECI. I’ve not encountered a time when they turned me down with a reasonable request. They are here for our student athletes and have done some heavy lifting for all of us. As much as they help us, I hope our community continues to help them.”

Chris has been around and coached hundreds of student athletes during his time at ECI and had this to say about those players. “To all my former players, I want to say thank you all for representing our school and community and that “E” on your chest. You are all champions in life, and I wish each and every one of you continued success in all you do. Be proud of who you are and where you came from, for we broke a lot of hearts along the way.”

Coach Kearson has the following closing comments. “I want to be remembered as that dummy that would play anybody that called in the off season. But seriously, it has been a blast, and I’ll always remember my time with the fine folks of Emanuel County. God Bless you all.”

As someone who has seen all 164 games while Chris was head coach at ECI, (and have pictures to prove it,) it’s been quite a party. Thanks for the memories coach. DGD!