'They just want to play'

Harmony Grove hits football field for first time

By Elizabeth Pannell

Posted: August 13, 2009 at 4:47 a.m.

Rusty Hubbard Credit: Staff Photographer
Head football coach Jimmy "Red" Parker, who brings more than 50 years of football-coaching experience to Harmony Grove, gives the team pointers Monday in between drills. The 25-person team is new this season and is made of junior and senior high players who will play mostly junior varsity and a few varsity games.

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TRI-LAKES AREA — Harmony Grove football fans will finally have a team to cheer for when the school's first football team hits the field in Haskell in a few weeks.

The team of 25 is made of junior and senior high players who will play mostly junior varsity games and a few varsity games.

"I think this is going to motivate our kids to improve in class, conduct and attendance," High School Principal Walt Davis said.

Cardinals coach Jimmy "Red" Parker said he is trying to work the ninth-graders into plays because of the lack of players from senior high.

"We don't have the numbers in any grade that we need," Parker said. "Several found a reason that they didn't want to play, so we are going to use the ones we have. These guys can't help it that they haven't played football, but I think they are exceptionally fine men. I'm not concerned with winning or losing."

Although Parker, 78, joked and said he was a "rookie coach with not a whole lot of experience," the coaching veteran has been on the sidelines at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (1961-1965), The Citadel (1966-1972) and Clemson (1973-1976). He brings more than 50 years of football-coaching experience to Harmony Grove.

"I'm thrilled to have Coach Parker," Davis said. "We are very fortunate and really excited."

Parker said the team's schedule will begin with a benefit game with Cutter Morning Star, then it will take on junior varsity teams from Bryant, Lake Hamilton, Hermitage and Bismarck. Poyen, Genoa Central and Southwest Christian round out its schedule.

"We are going to play as many games as we can," Parker said. "Our kids know and understand that we are going to play on off-nights, but they just want to play."

The school district attempted to start a football program for two years. After two failed millage votes, the district found a way to fund the program.

"We had passed a millage to fund a middle school addition," Superintendent Daniel Henley said. "We just extended that millage in order to fund the football program."

About $300,000 is being used to build a stadium with bleachers, lights, a concession stand and field house. Henley said the stadium should be complete "soon."

"It's not as big and nice as we were going to build with the millage increase, but we did what we can now and then we will add to it later," Henley said.

Henley said the district was losing students to other districts because it did not have a football program.

"We are still growing," Henley said. "There were a few schools in north Arkansas that were our size that didn't have a programs either, but not many."

The district has grown from 700 students four years ago to 1,000 students this year, Davis said.

In September 2007, the district went to voters for a 2.3-mill increase. It would have taken the district from 39.4 mills to 41.7 mills. The proposal failed by 22 votes.

In March 2008, a millage proposal for the same amount failed by 10 votes.

"Most of the voters had a problem with the tax increase, not the football program," Henley said.

"I had a lot of people tell me if it had been for academics, we would have figured out a way to pass it, but they didn't feel like they could pass an increase just for athletics. I'm hoping we pleased both sides."

- epannell@

arkansasonline.com

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