Pleasant Home School football players will not have to learn the name of their new head coach. They will just have to remember he is no longer just an assistant coach.

Pleasant Home School Principal Jim Garner announced Jimmy Reeves has been named the head football coach of the Eagles. Reeves has served as an assistant football coach at the school since the varsity program began in 2000.

The move does not have to be approved by the Covington County Board of Education because it is not a hire, Garner pointed out.

Reeves is an experienced football coach. He began his high school coaching career as head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Beauregard High School in 1987. He was named the head coach of the junior high football program at Beauregard in 1988.

Four years later, Reeves was the head coach of the varsity football team at Beauregard. He directed the Hornets to the playoffs four out of the five seasons he served as head coach, compiling a 37-18 record.

Pleasant Home School welcomed Reeves to Covington County in 1998 when he was named assistant principal and head softball coach. He also served as an assistant football coach.

Reeves said he knows the students at Pleasant Home School and looks forward to working with them.

"I'm excited," Reeves said. "It's not really a major change for us because Coach Clark and I worked real closely. The biggest change will be not having him around to help.

"I'm excited to work with our kids," Reeves added. "We have a lot of good kids. We are losing a lot of good seniors so we will be rebuilding."

The loss of Clark will mean more work for Reeves and the coaching staff.

"The greatest challenge will be getting along without Coach Clark," Reeves said. "The job he has done here is incredible. Professionally, his record speaks for itself, but his greatest attribute is being such a great person and leader. We've worked together for 12 years so it's like losing a brother."

One of the main goals Reeves has set for himself is getting the students fired up about playing football.

"We're going to focus on motivating kids to play to try and get our numbers up," Reeves said. "Then, we're going to try and make them tougher and stronger. We've got a lot of nice, hard-working kids here, but sometimes 'nice' doesn't get it done on the football field."

Reeves said he is fortunate to be coaching at a school in a community where so many people get involved and take an active role in the athletic programs at Pleasant Home School. He said the support of the community will continue to be a critical ingredient for success at Pleasant Home.

"This community is strong. They will do whatever it takes to make sure their children get everything they deserve," Reeves said. "They are not satisfied in being the best in basketball. They want to be the best in everything and without Coach Clark it is going to take a community effort to keep our athletic program strong."

He also said filling Clark's shoes will not be easy.

"It is going to

be a tremendous challenge," Reeves said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity. I've watched this school and community build this program from the ground up. Mr. Garner has implemented a great long-range plan that has been very successful.

"Not many Class 1A programs have begun football and made the playoffs two out of the first three years," Reeves added.

Garner said Reeves was the No. 1 candidate for the job from the moment Anthony Clark announced his resignation.

"After talking and thinking about it, I thought he was the best man for the job," Garner said. "He is the best man for the job because of his experience and because he knows the kids."

Reeves will be a coach, but he is much more to the student-athletes he coaches.

"He's a great guy and a great example for the kids," Garner said. "The kids respect him. He's worked with them in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He's been close to them and involved with them. I just think he'll do great."

Garner also said the students are looking forward to playing for Reeves.

"The kids were excited when I told them," Garner said.

Reeves has two daughters. Jessi is 14 and Kati is 12. Both attend Pleasant Home School.