Palatka coach resign

[307mac]

Unhappy with the rate of progress in the Palatka High School football program after one season as head coach, Randy Hedstrom decided to let someone else take a crack at it.

He resigned Wednesday morning, almost a year to the day after his predecessor, Willie Offord, gave up the post for a similar position in Columbia, S.C. The Panthers were 4-6 under Hedstrom, making the 2014 state playoffs as District 4-5A runnerup.

Secondary coach for Jim McCool during a largely successful run in the 1990s, Hedstrom took the Panthers to five straight weightlifting state championships from 1991-95. He then spent about 15 years in administration, most recently as principal at Crescent City Junior-Senior High, before returning to PHS football.

He admitted on Thursday the experience in 2014 wasn't what he expected.

"The program and the vision I had for it wasn't getting done. I can't blame anybody but myself," said Hedstrom, who will remain as a dean at the school. "I didn't want to go on if I wasn't getting out of the kids what I should have.

"We've got some great kids and I think we're headed in the right direction. It just wasn't going fast enough."


Read more: The Palatka Daily News. Local news and information for Palatka and Putnam County Florida. - Hedstrom gives up Palatka football job

 

[307mac]

Palatka High School's search for a new head football coach didn't take very long and didn't go very far.

Bobby Humphries, athletic director since last summer, former head football coach at Interlachen High School and an assistant for two head coaches at PHS, has been named to succeed Randy Hedstrom, who resigned two weeks ago after one season.

Humphries has 32 years in high school and college athletics, 11 as a head football coach. He led teams at Carabelle and Johnson County, Ga., before coming to Interlachen in 2002. He was 11-38 in five seasons with the Rams, who had won only once in the four years before he took the job. He was named Daily News Coach of the Fall after a 3-7 season in 2004. Humphries is 45-76 overall.

He has been at Palatka High since 2007 and was running backs coach for Wilson Edwards and offensive coordinator for Willie Offord. Humphries, who has also coached girls golf and girls weightlifting for the Panthers, was not on the football staff last fall.

"I'm real thankful for the opportunity," Humphries said Monday. "We just want to build on the recent success the football team's had around here."


Read more: The Palatka Daily News. Local news and information for Palatka and Putnam County Florida. - Humphries takes over PHS football

 

[Mr HiSchool]

I really hope that Palatka can stabilize.

 

[ProSetEye]

Every time that OTC has played Palatka they have given us a very tough game. No matter what anyone says they are a good solid team with a lot of skills. They seem to be a well coached team and need to step it up just a little bit in order to be a solid contender. Unfortunately, most of their key Senior players will be graduating, including their QB.