FARMINGTON -- Vast, sweeping changes over the past two years continue altering the landscape of Farmington athletics from upgraded facilities to a new administration and a platoon of new personnel.
The latest structural change features an upcoming installation of stadium lighting at the new track behind Cardinal Stadium, part of a $16 million Farmington Sports Complex completed in 2019, giving the school state-of-the-art football, soccer, cheer and dance, as well as track and field facilities to go with the ultra-swank Cardinal Arena, which hosted the 2020 Class 4A State basketball tournament, and serves as home-court for Lady Cardinal volleyball. The Farmington School Board approved the lighting for the track during its May 24 meeting.
A sweeping transition affecting numerous personnel changes began in late 2019 with resignation of long-time athletic director Brad Blew, whose last day on the job was Jan. 31, 2020. On the heels of that, former superintendent and one-time head football coach Bryan Law, left at the end of the 2019-2020 school year as did volleyball coach Mike Howard.
Interim athletic director Jon Purifoy solved the volleyball opening by hiring assistant football coach Greg Pair, a former head volleyball coach at Lavaca. Jon Paul Laffoon, a former head boys basketball coach, became superintendent on July 1, 2020, and long-time Farmington boys basketball coach Beau Thompson was hired as athletic director. Johnny Taylor was hired as his replacement to coach the boys basketball team.
The 2020-2021 school year brought more changes with the resignations of head coaches, Mike Adams, football; Randy Osnes, softball and golf; and Spencer Adams, boys track and field.
The board recently addressed vacancies in various sports beginning with the hiring of J.R. Eldridge as head football coach in January followed by several spring hirings.
SOFTBALL
The biggest name hired during the board's April 26 meeting was Jason Shirey, who succeeds Osnes as head softball coach. Shirey will teach history and took over as head softball coach July 1. Shirey and his wife Amber have three children, Ross, Reese and Rheid. Shirey formerly coached at Fayetteville. He has won two state championships with three state finals appearances, seven state semifinals trips and eight conference championships on his resume with a record of 299-119.
INTERNAL CHANGES
Tanner Feil, head varsity soccer coach for both boys and girls, takes over as varsity head golf coach to man another position vacated by Osnes' retirement. While Feil doesn't have a background coaching the sport, he lives on a golf course and hits the green every chance he gets.
"It's a pretty cool opportunity to do that, especially with the boys team. I don't have to do much coaching, just get out of their way. They've got a lot of talent," Feil said.
Anna Johnson takes over as varsity head girls track and field coach. Johnson is head junior high girls volleyball coach; now she officially adds assistant varsity volleyball coach to her duties.
Austin Lewis moves into the head junior high girls track and field coach position.
Nicole Schader will be head homecoming director with Mallory Young serving as assistant homecoming director.
Kami Beach will be the head Color's Day director with Raelyn Davis serving as assistant Color's Day director.
FOOTBALL
The board also filled a slough of football coaching vacancies, including those created when Pair switched from football to volleyball for the fall of 2020, Si Hornbeck's resignation last August and the exit of Spencer Adams to take over Barton's football program in March.
Georgeio Milam
Georgeio Milam has been named offensive coordinator/offensive line coach and will assist with coaching junior high football. His wife is Kayce. Milam's career featured working as offensive coordinator at North Little Rock, offensive line coach at Arkansas Tech, and offensive line coach at Southern Arkansas. Milam will teach ninth grade Health at the junior high.
Payton Covington
Payton Covington has been named head seventh grade football and head junior high boys track and field coach. He will also work as an assistant varsity football coach. Covington previously worked as head junior high football coach at Berryville. Before that he was an assistant football coach and head junior high boys track and field coach at De Queen. He began as a student coach working with wide receivers at UCA. Covington will teach seventh-grade science at the junior high.
Joshua Fonville
Josh Fonville has been named quarterback/running backs coach at Farmington High School and will assist with the junior high program. Fonville and his wife Morgan have a son named Jacob. His experience includes stints as offensive coordinator at Sheridan, head football coach at Bryant Middle School, offensive coordinator at Fort Smith Kimmons, and offensive coordinator at Union Christian Academy. Fonville will be the new ALE instructor at the high school.
BASKETBALL
Recent resignations include Adam Simmons, high school classroom teacher at the Middle School and assistant varsity boys basketball coach.
The changes haven't diminished Farmington's success. During the May 24 board meeting Thompson noted 14-of-17 varsity sports the school competes in qualified for state tournament play during the 2020-2021 school year.
"I don't know if that's a record, but it's a good year for varsity athletics," Thompson said.