From STAFF REPORTS

ELLAVILLE – After months of searching, the Schley County Board of Education named Darren Alford as the system’s head football coach at a called meeting on Feb. 4.
Alford is currently working as the offensive coordinator for West Laurens High School in Dexter. The newly-hired Wildcat helmsman and Americus native served on the staff of the Americus-Sumter High School Panthers as the team’s defensive coordinator for 18 years before leaving for  West Laurens in 2009.
After the announcement, Alford met with community members and students, who offered their congratulations.
According to reports, Alford stated in an interview, “If I only teach [the players] to block and tackle and things, I haven’t really done a good job. I want to be an influence on young men and help them to grow up and be great young men in their communities so they can go and be good fathers, good husbands, and make this a stronger community.”