Published: April 25, 2008 12:45 am         

Greeville's AD hits the ground running

GREENVILLE — Greenville’s new head football coach and athletic director has been hiring new coaches and meeting new people since joining the Lions’ staff in March.

“I’m just trying to get to know the kids,” said Jim Phillips. “Trying to see what makes things tick around here. Get around as many people as I possibly can so they know who I am.”

Phillips is hoping to get the Lions and Lady Lions back on the winning track. The Lions and Lady Lions’ varsity football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball teams all finished with sub .500 records during the 2007-8 athletic season.

“Number one is to get the kids to understand they can win,” said Phillips. “You can’t just talk about winning. We’ve got to prepare to win. Get some continuity.

“The kids and the town, they want to win. We just need to win at something. Get something going,” he said.

He said the problems he’s encountered thus far are no different than at other schools.

“Kids are going to be kids,” he said. “Kids are going to do what you allow them to do.”

He said his program has to have discipline.

“But you’ve got to get them to the first game,” he said.

Phillips has been working on restoring pride and tradition. He’s asked for photos of former all-district and all-state football players to display at the athletic facilities and has cups made that display the Lions’ 2008 football schedule along with their past playoff trips in football. The slogan on the cup is: Restore The Pride.

Phillips he’s found three assistant coaches he plans on recommending for employment at the next meeting of the Greenville Independent School District’s Board of Trustees and is still looking for coaches.

Because of the transition period, Phillips has opted for the Lions to skip spring training in football and instead will take the extra week of workouts in August. Class 5A and 4A programs are given the choice of three weeks of spring training or the extra week of fall practice.

The Lions will kick off their 2008 football season on Aug. 29 in Forney.