After 40-plus years of coaching other people’s kids, Larry Fleming is finishing his career by working with his own. Fleming, who has coached track and/or football in the area at LaFayette, Rossville, East Ridge, Rigeland and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, is coaching track with his son Chip at Coahulla Creek.
Chip is the head coach and works predominantly with the boys’ athletes, while Larry coaches the girls.
The father/son tandem has guided both teams to identical 14-0 meet records this spring. Both teams are led by a sophomore-heavy class with only two seniors on the boys’ team and just one in the girls’ group.
“We thought we could be pretty good, but when you’re this young you never know,” Larry said. “The kids are excelling more than we thought early, and there’s a lot of promise for the future.
“It’s real special getting to coach with Chip. It’s a great way to close out my career. He’s my boss now, he’s in charge, and that’s a pretty neat way to end it.”