HAVANA, Fl. (WTXL) - East and West Gadsden High School's merge next school year to form one public consolidated high school in Gadsden County.
On Thursday, long time West Gadsden head coach Andrew Moten, who won the 1A State title with the Panthers this season, was officially introduced as the new head boys basketball coach of the still to be named consolidated high school.
Moten notes, no name, no problem. He says it's still Gadsden County to him, and he is excited for the chance to continue coaching. The job opened up after East Gadsden coach Reginald Cunningham won the election for Property Appraiser and vacated the position, and Moten jumped at the chance to continue a rich tradition of basketball in Gadsden County.
"It's a great opportunity to come back and give back to these kids," he said, adding he plans on starting Monday. "To help them try to be a positive impact on their lives. We just are going to do the same thing I did over there. Just come out and have a competitive basketball team, put together a good team and get out and fight and try to win and try to win a championship here."
Officials in Gadsden County are wasting no time in figuring out other hires for the new high school. The plan right now? All other positions will open back up, and coaches from both high schools can reapply. The only coaching positions filled are football and boys basketball.
Athletic Director Gino Bullock said he is excited to get the process going, as there is a lot of talent in Gadsden County, but something like this cannot be rushed.
"It takes work, and it takes quality folks putting in work when nobody is watching to get the program where it needs to be," he said on Thursday. "You can't skip steps. There's a foundation. You build a foundation. You take your time and you properly evaluate every program, and then when you make these hires, you feel good about the hires you made and you're able to build the walls for the foundation correctly. When it's time for the house to stand you don't have to worry about it falling."
Bullock added he hopes to have all positions filled within the next month, but notes it's important it's done right and that the right people are in position.
