Nansemond River head coach Justin Conyers (Photo: Sarah Murphy/recruit757)
Justin Conyers is the seventh coach in the 757 to leave the job in a matter of weeks
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
It’s been an off-season of coaching changes, and the season hasn’t officially ended yet.
This ten-week long spring season has brought a lot of change to high school football in Hampton Roads. Not only has the shortened season been non-traditional, but we have also had a high occurrence of coaching leaving their job since the end of the regular season just a month ago.
The City of Suffolk had a closed season this spring. The three high schools played a round-robin home and away schedule before playing their City Championship game a week and a half ago. Nansemond River won that city championship over King’s Fork.
On Tuesday, Nansemond River head coach Justin Conyers announced that he will step away from football coaching.
“I love Nansemond and my decision has nothing to do with Nansemond River High School. I want to take some time for myself and my family. COVID put a lot of things in perspective for me. It was a very hard decision, but necessary. I didn’t want to continue to coach and not be 100% committed. I will continue to teach and I plan on pursuing a career in administration. I’m also starting a business,” Conyers explained.
Coach Conyers is experiencing what many of the teachers and high school coaches across the state have experienced. Unfortunately, Conyers isn’t alone in reconsidering his direction. The seven openings in Hampton Roads will draw a lot of interest, but there could be other coaches who will also hang up their whistle before the school year is done.
“(Seeing those coaches resign) made me want to reconsider because I didn’t want to feel like I left my kids hanging. Reading their comments confirmed how I am feeling,” the coach said.
At least he can realize that he’s not alone in all this.
Conyers won’t have a say in who the school hires to replace him, but he certainly has an opinion on the kind of person it should be. After all, Coach Conyers will stay in the school system and plans to move into administration. Such decisions could be in his domain sooner or later.
“I would want the next head coach to be someone who is going to do everything outside the football field. (The kids need) a coach who’s going to invest as much time off the field as he would on the field.”
– Andy Hilton
