Parrish named Northview football coach

Former Daleville football coach Josh Parrish officially took the next step in his career Jan. 9, when he was hired by the Dothan City School Board to coach the Northview High School football team.

“It was a super hard decision,” Josh Parrish said of the choice to leave Daleville. “I told the team (Monday), and couldn’t keep from getting emotional.”

The 1998 graduate of Early County High School in Georgia will replace former Northview football coach LaBrian Stewart, and has been familiar with the Northview football program for some time.

“The opportunity to coach at Northview, I grew up there,” Josh Parrish said. “I had more childhood memories from Northview High School than I have in my own house. It’s always kind of been in my blood. I didn’t think the opportunity would come this early in my career, but it did. I couldn’t pass it up. I’m very excited about it.”

Parrish’s father, Harry Wayne Parrish, coached the Cougars' first football team in 1978, and led them to state championships in 1981 and 1985 before his move to Early County after 13 years on the Northview sidelines.

“I don’t think it’s a secret I look up to my dad with the utmost respect of probably anybody in this world,” the younger Parrish said. “To be able to try to rebuild a tradition he built in the 80s, it’s exciting and it means a lot. I know he loves the school because he started the (football program). He wants to see it get back to where it was in the 80s as well.”

Josh Parrish has more ties to the program, however. He served as an assistant coach at Northview for five years before he moved to former Daleville coach Brad McCoy's staff. Parrish had been the Warhawks' strength and conditioning coach as well as defensive coordinator before he took the reins of the Daleville program in 2014 after McCoy's resignation.

Josh Parrish led spring practice before the 2014 season, and guided the Warhawks to the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs where they lost 45-30 to Montgomery Academy to wrap up a 5-6 first year.

The Warhawks soared to a 9-1 record in the 2015 regular season and went 6-0 in Class 3A, Region 2 to claim the region crown.

Daleville reached the second round of the playoffs before it was edged 49-41 against Bayside Academy to end a 10-2 campaign.

Last season, the Warhawks finished second in the region behind Opp and ended an 8-3 year with a 21-14 loss against Bayside Academy in the first round of the state playoffs.

During his time at Daleville, the new Northview coach learned lessons he believes will make a difference in his tenure with the Cougars.

“Dealing with people probably is the biggest thing as far as an adjustment to being a head coach,” Josh Parrish said. “Before you’re a head coach, you don’t realize how much time is spent dealing with people, dealing with parents, dealing with supporters and dealing with media. I always felt comfortable coaching. It was the other part of (things) the Daleville job really helped me get accustomed to.”

Part of Josh Parrish’s vision for the Cougars is similar to the one he had when he was named Daleville’s coach.

“It’s going to take time building the values of hard work, leadership and all of the things we’ve done at Daleville for the past three years,” he said. “We’re just trying to move that over to Northview, and work as hard as we can to get them moving in the right direction.”

Parrish led Daleville to a 23-11 overall record in three seasons.

“I love Daleville, and love everything Daleville’s done for me in giving me the opportunity to become a head coach,” he said. “I can never repay Daleville for giving me that opportunity. You’ll never find a better group of young men than the young men I had the pleasure of coaching while at Daleville.”