Staff
When Ken Netherland planned to step down as head coach for Germantown High after the 2002 season, Charlie White asked him, “Why now?” Netherland responded, “You will know one day when you have that same feeling.” Now, Charlie White, who is stepping down after coaching for 33 years at Germantown, understands that answer.
“It’s time for me to make a change,” White said.
Starting in 1978 as an assistant coach, White has helped establish the tradition at GHS, watching the school capture a state championship in 1983, one of the highlights of his coaching career.
“The school was really behind [us], and the community was really behind the team,” White stated.
Along the way, besides feeling blessed to coach under Netherland, White encountered others who have shaped him as a coach: Leland Smith, Rocky Graves, Tommy Harrison, and Jerry Ellis.
After Netherland’s departure, White took over the head coaching duties in 2003, ending that season with the school’s next state championship. However, those two titles are not the only memories he’ll take with his coaching departure.
“There’s a lot of little moments in between that deal with just the players that are just as important, just as exciting, just not as glorified,” White said.
In addition to the players he’s impacted, one helped to make his time here special.
“My son played football here,” White said. “There are too many moments of those to even name.”
During White’s tenure, he’s seen the changes in many aspects of being a coach. As a young, assistant coach, he felt he had good intentions and coached with “tough love,” but now realizes that possibly he was “too hard on these guys.”
Of course, changes in other areas of the sport have helped educate him. The importance of hydration, the rules for heat index, the presence of athletic trainers- all have influenced him to adjust his coaching to do what is best for the players, who White feels have also changed.
“We always go back to the kids. It just seems like they have so much more to do now,” White stated.
Now the change will be to the GHS football program searching for a new head coach. Of course, White feels he knows the best fit.
“I think you need to look for somebody that probably is a former Red Devil that just loves Germantown High School and will work very hard to make it better because of that love for the school,” White said. “There’s a lot of good football coaches out there x and o wise, but I don’t’ know how many there are out there that love this school, know the tradition, and would put their heart in soul in being the head coach.”
As White looks to his own future (and he’s not afraid to tell you he’s almost 60), many factors remain unknown.
“I don’t intend to stop working,” White said. “Whether they will have me back as a teacher and not a coach next year, I don’t know.”
While his tenure at GHS may be a question, White feels his future does hold a few definite answers.
“Hopefully I can find another coaching job and just continue coaching; if not, I am going to avoid going home so my wife doesn’t put me to work in the yard.”
When Ken Netherland planned to step down as head coach for Germantown High after the 2002 season, Charlie White asked him, “Why now?” Netherland responded, “You will know one day when you have that same feeling.” Now, Charlie White, who is stepping down after coaching for 33 years at Germantown, understands that answer.
“It’s time for me to make a change,” White said.
Starting in 1978 as an assistant coach, White has helped establish the tradition at GHS, watching the school capture a state championship in 1983, one of the highlights of his coaching career.
“The school was really behind [us], and the community was really behind the team,” White stated.
Along the way, besides feeling blessed to coach under Netherland, White encountered others who have shaped him as a coach: Leland Smith, Rocky Graves, Tommy Harrison, and Jerry Ellis.
After Netherland’s departure, White took over the head coaching duties in 2003, ending that season with the school’s next state championship. However, those two titles are not the only memories he’ll take with his coaching departure.
“There’s a lot of little moments in between that deal with just the players that are just as important, just as exciting, just not as glorified,” White said.
In addition to the players he’s impacted, one helped to make his time here special.
“My son played football here,” White said. “There are too many moments of those to even name.”
During White’s tenure, he’s seen the changes in many aspects of being a coach. As a young, assistant coach, he felt he had good intentions and coached with “tough love,” but now realizes that possibly he was “too hard on these guys.”
Of course, changes in other areas of the sport have helped educate him. The importance of hydration, the rules for heat index, the presence of athletic trainers- all have influenced him to adjust his coaching to do what is best for the players, who White feels have also changed.
“We always go back to the kids. It just seems like they have so much more to do now,” White stated.
Now the change will be to the GHS football program searching for a new head coach. Of course, White feels he knows the best fit.
“I think you need to look for somebody that probably is a former Red Devil that just loves Germantown High School and will work very hard to make it better because of that love for the school,” White said. “There’s a lot of good football coaches out there x and o wise, but I don’t’ know how many there are out there that love this school, know the tradition, and would put their heart in soul in being the head coach.”
As White looks to his own future (and he’s not afraid to tell you he’s almost 60), many factors remain unknown.
“I don’t intend to stop working,” White said. “Whether they will have me back as a teacher and not a coach next year, I don’t know.”
While his tenure at GHS may be a question, White feels his future does hold a few definite answers.
“Hopefully I can find another coaching job and just continue coaching; if not, I am going to avoid going home so my wife doesn’t put me to work in the yard.”