Montgomery resigns as Central football coach

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Sam Montgomery has resigned as Central High School's head football coach after just one season.

Montgomery, a single parent, said he needed to spend more time with his three sons.

"It was an extremely tough decision," Montgomery said. "But my boys are my top priority, and as tough as it was to have to step down, it's the right thing to do for my family."

The Purple Pounders advanced to the Class 4A playoffs last season and finished 6-5 overall. It was the program's first winning season since 2003.

Montgomery, an assistant at Boyd-Buchanan previously, had taken over for David Barger, who stepped down last spring to return to Lake County, where his wife Dawn was offered the boys' basketball coaching job.

Dawn Barger has guided Lake County to the boys' Class A state tournament this season - just the second woman to coach a boys' team to the final eight.

"Sam had been discussing this with me for a while, so it wasn't a shock," Central athletic director Brent Cooper said. "I understand where he is coming from and why he made the decision he did.

"We think the world of Sam here and I hate the fact he has to do this, but if I was in his situation I'd do the same thing. It's personal reasons, for his family, so we all totally support that."