On Tuesday, South Sumter’s “perfect man” retired as Raiders coach and athletic director. He will remain the school’s curriculum coordinator until the end of the school year.
Longtime assistant coach Ty Lawrence, a Leesburg High School graduate, was named to replace Sherman as head coach. Keith Hileman, another longtime assistant of Sherman’s, will replace him as athletic director.
“This is a good day for me and the South Sumter football community,” Sherman said. “My wife and I are in good health, and we’re young enough to enjoy our retirement. This was something we’ve been thinking about for a couple of years now and the timing for everything seemed right. I’m 60 (years old) now and it’s time to let the younger guys take over.
“Our football program is in great shape with Ty as head coach.”
Sherman’s accomplishments with the Raiders are substantial. He compiled a record of 261-109, including an 8-3 record last season.
He is the winningest football coach in Lake and Sumter County history and ranks fourth in Central Florida, behind Bill Gierke, Larry Gergley and Gerald Odom.
The Raiders have won 17 district championships since 1993 and won an area record 39 straight regular-season games between Oct. 21, 2011 and Oct. 8, 2015.
He led South Sumter to the 2005 Class 2A state championship and produced countless college football players. Among those are Earl Everett, a linebacker who helped the University of Florida win a national championship in 2006, and Clint Hart, who played quarterback and defensive back at South Sumter and was a starting defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League.
But, Sherman’s accomplishments on the football field tell only part of his story.
“Inman’s legacy extends far beyond Raider Field,” said Principal Dr. Preston Morgan. “His impact on our community is widespread and multi-generational. He’s coached fathers and sons, and maybe even a few grandfathers. As a curriculum coordinator, he’s helped many students enjoy academic success. Not many of our student athletes go on to play college football, but a lot of our students have gone on to college because of his help.
“To many people in this community, he is more than a football coach. He is one of the reasons they have become successful in life.”
Sherman said he was leaning toward retiring after the Raiders lost in the Class 4A-Region 2 quarterfinals at Alachua Santa Fe. Instead of announcing his decision then, Sherman and his wife, Marty, used the holiday break to think things over.
When Sumter County Schools returned from the break, he quietly told Morgan he was stepping aside.
“I tried to talk him out of it,” Morgan said.
Sherman felt he wasn’t doing things as well as had in the past, like conducting practices or film study. While his mind and body were willing, Sherman realized his energy level — the level he felt the job required — wasn’t as high as it been in previous seasons.
“Coaching is an everyday job,” Sherman said. “You can’t just do it during the season for a couple of hours a day and expect to do it well. It requires a lot and I felt like I wasn’t doing it as well as I had in the past. There are certainly some mixed feelings about stepping down and while it hasn’t been an easy decision, it feels like the right thing to do.”
Sherman said he and his wife plan to spend time with their grandson and granddaughter, and “doing whatever retired people do.”
They have no desire, however, to move out of Sumter County and expect to attend South Sumter football games as often as they can.
When they do, there is strong probability they will encounter some kind of tribute to Sherman. Morgan said no plans have been put together, but he believes the community will demand that something be done to acknowledge Sherman’s accomplishments with the football program.
Whatever is done, however, likely will be to the former coach’s dismay.
“Inman doesn’t want anything,” Morgan said. “That’s just the kind of person he is. He wants to slide out quietly. Well, that’s not going to happen. I don’t think the community will allow that happen.
“We have a lot of options available to us and we’ll come up with something appropriate.”
Regardless of what happens with tributes around Bushnell or South Sumter, Sherman said he walks away from the sidelines at Raider Field feeling good about what he’s leaving behind. He feels the program is in solid shape, with Lawrence at the helm and most — if not all — of last year’s coaching staff remaining intact.
As for his legacy, Sherman said he hasn’t given it much thought.
“I just want everyone to know that I always did the best I could do for South Sumter footbal
