Daleville football coach resigns

Daleville High School’s head football coach Rob Armstrong resigned on Thursday, June 28, to pursue other opportunities.

Armstrong was hired in the spring of 2017 to take over the Daleville football program after former coach Josh Parrish left to take over at Northview. He also served as Daleville’s Athletic Director during that time.

Armstrong is leaving to accept the position of Dean of Students at Baker School in Okaloosa County, Fla. Armstrong will not take over the head coaching duties at Baker but did say he plans to help out with the program some.

Armstrong had previously spent 19 years as a coach in Florida, including head coaching stops at Rutherford, Graceville, Marianna, Chipley, Walton County and Freeport, and 28 total years as a coach.

Armstrong led Daleville to a 6-5 record in his only season at the helm and a spot in the Class 2A State Playoffs last year. He was also selected as The Southeast Sun/Daleville Sun-Courier Coach of the Year in 2017.

“We performed an exhaustive search last year to narrow down to Coach Armstrong,” Daleville principal Josh Robertson said. “He was what we thought he was when hiring him. He was great with the kids and did a great job for us. He just had an opportunity that he couldn’t pass up. It’s bad timing for us but we’re going to find the best person for our kids and move forward.”

Armstrong said he couldn’t have been more pleased with his time at Daleville.

“The No. 1 thing I think I’ll take away from my time here is the support and commitment from the administration to doing things to help the Daleville students and players be successful,” Armstrong said. “Dr. (Diane) Flournoy and Mr. Robertson gave me so much support and it was just so easy to work with Mr. Robertson and the rest of the faculty from the minute I got here.

“Also, I’ll never forget all the hard work the kids did for me and how they came in here with us and did absolutely everything we ever asked of them. I really appreciate that.”

Robertson said the school was caught off guard with the timing of the move.

“Yeah, we were caught off guard but I think he was, too,” Robertson said. “I don’t think this was something he sought after. Sometimes opportunities fall into your lap when you don’t expect them.”

Armstrong confirmed Robertson’s feelings that this opportunity was a surprise to the coach himself.

“It wasn’t something I was out there looking for,” Armstrong said. “I wasn’t out looking for a job. Last week they called from down at Baker and told me they had an opening in administration and wanted to know if I was interested.

“You never really think it’s time to move on but when they told me what it was and everything that went with it, I felt like I needed to check into it. The more I checked into it the more I thought it was something we couldn’t pass up.”

Armstrong said that there were three keys to his decision to accept the position at Baker.

“No. 1, it’s a good situation financially with me being at the end of my career and it benefiting my retirement down there (in Florida),” Armstrong stated. “No. 2, it’s a really good school system and the third case was that there was a job opening in (my wife) Amber’s area of what she does. So, it felt like maybe this is what we needed to do since she that position waiting on her down there, too.”

According to Robertson, Daleville hopes to have someone in place by the July 18 Daleville Board of Education meeting and experience is going to be a primary factor in the hiring.

“We’re really trying to find someone that has some experience in this situation,” Robertson emphasized. “It would really be tough for someone with little experience to come in during the summer time and take over the job.

“We have some good football players and good kids here at Daleville and we expect someone to come in that can continue to progress them for the fall. That’s what we’re trying to find. It’s going to be tough this time of year but that’s our goal.”

Warhawk football players are off for a break until July 9 when they will return to continue summer workouts. Daleville’s assistant coaches will come together to head those workouts until a new coach is in place.

“We have some good coaches on staff that are staying with us and they’ll keep things going for us while we do this search,” Robertson said.

Armstrong had a message for his Daleville players and what he hopes they take from their time playing under him.

“No matter what the circumstances are, just go out there and work hard and do the best you can and good things will happen,” Armstrong said. “Don’t look at the scoreboard or the situation you’re in on the field or in life. Just keep doing as good as you know how to and doing it the right way and things will work out.”