Edinburgh football coach Tyler DeSpain, middle of huddle, informed his team Tuesday that he will resign after the conclusion of the season on Dec. 1.
By James Horne
For The Republic
The announcement was made with regret, but at the end of the day, Tyler DeSpain made the difficult decision to leave one family to focus on another.
On Tuesday, the Edinburgh coach informed his players that this season would be his last. He is stepping down from the position, and will resign on Dec. 1.
“It was more of a family decision. My kids are six- and eight-years old,” DeSpain said. “My daughter is about to play softball, and my son is getting ready to get into sports, too. My kids have been around Edinburgh football their whole life, and I think it’s finally time for me to step down and be a dad and to be able to see them grow in the sports they are playing.”
DeSpain, who’s beginning his seventh year as coach, and his 11th overall after spending four as an assistant with the Lancers, is 14-45 overall.
He said telling the team he was leaving was difficult because of his own time at Edinburgh. The 33-year old was a Lancer from kindergarten through 11th grade, until he moved to complete his senior year and graduate from Southwestern High School
“It’s not very often here at Edinburgh that we have a coach who stays long-term,” DeSpain said. “The past few years we’ve had a string of coaches who stay just two or three years, and I’ve been here for seven as the head coach and 11 total.
“So this is my third or fourth year of seeing a senior class graduate. It’s not something they are used to. It’s new for them. They took the announcement well. There were some kids who were shocked and some who were upset. But we’ll continue to move on until we can find somebody to replace me that has the same drive and determination to make Edinburgh good.”
DeSpain’s decision didn’t catch the school off-guard. He had been mulling whether to step down for a few months, and had discussions with athletics director Luke Robertson throughout to keep him informed.
Robertson was understanding when DeSpain made the decision.
“Tyler and I talked about it back in the summer, and he’s ready to take a step with his family and get a home built,” Robertson said. “He’s looking to spend more time with his kids. There’s all the things we want coaches to do, and they sacrifice by being coaches. And he’s sacrificed a lot of his time and has given a lot of effort to our kids.
“So we’re super appreciative of everything he’s done, and there’s no hard feelings from us. I want the best for him and his family, and if that’s the decision he makes, we’re standing by him all the way.”
Robertson said the school will take its time finding a replacement.
“We’re going to open it up and see where the wind takes us,” he said. “I think our primary focus right now is giving Tyler everything he needs to succeed in the immediate future. From there, we’ll open it up and look to see who’s interested in coming to Edinburgh. This is a special place, and I think we can show people this is a place they want to be and coach at.”
DeSpain said he doesn’t plan on taking another position anytime soon as he focuses in his children. But he wants to make sure his football family is well taken care of until he departs.
“I feel like I’m leaving it better than what was left for me,” DeSpain said. “Just having that consistency of having somebody here every day for these kids is what I’ve tried to do. Some of these kids have a rougher home life than some of the others, so a lot those kids have needed a father figure.
“And it’s not just me. It’s my staff, too. They have done a really good job of being here. Most of my guys have been here since Day 1 and have been able to help.”
The Lancers open the season Friday when they host Tindley at 7 p.m. With a group of just 24 athletes, and a team coming off an 0 -10 season, DeSpain said they will have a different gauge of what success will mean for the program.
“Obviously, wins and losses is what everybody looks for, but success for us is being able to compete every night” he said. “It’s about being able to build that brotherhood here for these kids. This is something they’ve worked their butts off for many, many months now.”
