MSD COACH STEPS DOWN
More than a year following the fatal school shooting that took the lives of 17 members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) high school community in Parkland, Fla., its football coach Willis May has officially resigned from the program.
As the school’s coach for the last six years, May pieced together a 33-26 record. This past season, the team managed a .500 campaign overall, just on the outskirts of postseason play.
While May showed appreciation for his time with the team and the Parkland community, he pointed to the shooting as the primary reason for his resignation. Particularly, the losses of his former assistant coach Aaron Feis and athletic director Chris Hixon hit home.
“It’s been hard to come to work with everything that’s went on,” said May in a statement for the
Sun-Sentinel. “I miss Aaron Feis every day, and I miss Chris Hixon every day. It’s been really hard, and I just needed a change. I needed a change for my soul.”
As May acknowledges, the 2018 campaign for the MSD Eagles was both difficult and inspirational. With a recent ESPN documentary highlighting the team’s progress throughout the season, the program has served as a national point of interest.
Ryan Tennison, sophomore, explained, “With the tragedy happening so close to [Lynn], their story of overcoming difficult circumstances has been a beacon of hope for so many.” He added, “While the situation was far from typical, the program competed with grace and excellence, seeking to honor their former members.”
With May leaving the program, assistant coach Quentin Short has been named the interim coach for the Eagles. The growing expectation is that Short will ultimately be named the head coach in the near future.
As the school moves forward in its recovery process, May stands as one of many that continue to deal with lingering effects from the tragedy. Now, the program – and its blooming optimism – is in Short’s hands.
