Campbell Resigns

For the last week rumors surrounded the Whitley County football program that head coach Mike Campbell was going to resign. Those rumors were put to rest last week when Campbell talked to his team and information leaked out of the locker room.
Then Campbell made it official Tuesday morning when he met with the media to answer questions and give his official resignation as football coach of the Red Storm.
Campbell, who left after 17 years as coach of the Colonels with a 118-68 record, will stay on as Athletic Director at WCHS.
“As of right now, I plan to run our athletics at Whitley County as best as possibly can for the kids,” said Campbell. “And that’s all programs.”
“Normally, people, coaches or administrators are not in my situation where they have done both and it does take a lot of loyalty and pride in your school system to get the job completed,” said Campbell. “I’ve worn a lot of hats out there.”
“I have been presented with a couple of things outside of athletics and the educational field,” Campbell said.
After coming to Whitley County in 1989, Campbell set the bar high with some very successful teams that captured district titles. Was he his own worst enemy? “It could have been. I think people can be a victim of their own success at times. I think that could be some of this situation,” he admitted.
“We bounced around from 3A to 4A,” Campbell said. “And, if you notice, that’s when the records started to change. Even though we came in there the first year with a dynamite team that finished with a 9-1 record. After that, we didn’t suffer too poorly, it’s just that we didn’t excel. We competed.”
Campbell closed out his Whitley County career with a 48-6 loss to Lexington Henry Clay. “I was like we just didn’t compete, then I started looking at what they did to South Laurel (60-18) and Dunbar (55-20). Then I thought our kids maybe played to the best of their ability.”
The last four years saw the Colonels go 21-21. “We did make the playoffs this year.”
“I think these schools are a lot more competitive now, which is good, but we’re at the bottom of the realm in 4A football,” said Campbell.
“I think you will see Whitley County jump back next year and the reason I say next year is because what everybody else is losing,” said Campbell. “Whitley County football should be very competitive next year.”
“I think if we get the classification system switched back around, you will see Whitley County back to where it was in the 90s,” said Campbell, referring to a proposal of six classes in Kentucky.
“In the decade of the 90s there were only nine schools in Kentucky that didn’t have a losing record and we were one of those,” said Campbell.
So, did it come down to wins and losses? “In some people’s eyes it comes down to wins and losses and what it has done to me lately. I haven’t changed the way that I coach, the way my assistant coaches coach,” he said.
“I think the biggest thing is getting and keeping the kids out,” Campbell said. “That was one downfall and you can’t make them play. You have to get out there and beat the hallways, you have to recruit within your hallways. It’s hard to get these kids because there are so many activities and things they can do.”
The day of the three-sport athlete is about over with,” said Campbell.
Campbell presented this letter of resignation to Superintendent Lonnie Anderson and the board: