Winning high school football coach Darin Owens announced he's leaving Hillcrest. (Photo courtesy: PRPreps.com)
When Hillcrest coach Darin Owens arrived here in 2008 he faced huge challenges: The team was on a 23 game losing streak and had only scored three offensive touchdowns the previous season.
Morale was at all-time low.
Hillcrest, once the jewel of Idaho Falls, had not had a winning season in 10 years or even made the playoffs.
The community was skeptical.
But that first year–in just one season–it all turned around.
Owens led the Knights to the seemingly impossible: A championship.
The team won every game but one and captured the state championship–breaking school records and state rushing records along the way.
In a single season, Owens helped restore Hillcrest to glory. And the team has continued its winning ways ever since.
Owens, known for turning around high school teams by motivating them to win, added to his track record while at Hillcrest.
Today he announced that he is leaving.
He told players, students and faculty that he has accepted the head coaching job at Cerritos High School in Southern California.
“Hillcrest will always have a very special place in my heart. It has been an incredible ride,” says Owens. “I will remember this experience for the rest of my life.”
Owens says the decision to leave was a difficult one. But it provides him a chance to move back to Los Angeles, where he’s from, and the school offered him a deal too good to refuse.
He says the turnaround of Hillcrest would not have been possible without tremendous backing.
“Many thanks go out to the superintendent Chuck Shacket for his awesome support; to Scott Miller and Barney Gardner–hard to find a better principle and athletic director; to all of my boosters you were awesome; to the parents; and above all to the wonderful athletes that I have had the honor to coach. You will always be remembered and cherished in my heart, so remember to always Expect To Win, Prepare To Win and BELIEVE!”
With an 11 game losing streak, only 10 touchdowns scored the entire 2011 season and just five wins in five years, at Cerritos High School Owens may face his biggest challenge to date.
“I’m ready to jump in and get to work. This is an opportunity to turn a negative atmosphere into a positive one,” says Owens.
A movie is currently being developed on Owens turnaround success.
Owens is represented by Glenn Selig at the PR firm The Publicity Agency.
About The Publicity Agency: The Publicity Agency (http://www.thepublicityagency.com) is a premier publicity and public relations firm that specializes in news, entertainment and politics.
CONTACT
Glenn Selig
PR Firm: The Publicity Agency
Email:
Phone: (813) 708-1220
Web: www.thepublicityagency.com
SOURCE: The Publicity Agency
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