The news that many of us had feared/expected came Saturday. John Myers is no longer the Russellville football coach.
It was necessary and inevitable, but it’s still painful.
Myers announced Saturday that he is accepting a central office position with another charter member of the SKY League, Glasgow. For many years the only schools in that league were Russellville, Glasgow, Bowling Green and Franklin-Simpson, all football powerhouses.
Myers coached the Panthers for 14 years. His teams won 118 games, an average of 8.5 per season. They lost 4 games a year. In the 36 games before he became coach, RHS football had gone 9-27.
What’s more impressive than winning more than twice as many games as you lose? Playing over 12 games a season, since you only schedule 10 in the regular season. That translates to RHS qualifying for the playoffs all 14 years.
In fact, the last 12 years Myers’ Panthers have won at least one playoff game. His teams won two regional championships and six district titles. They reached the regional finals five times.
During the middle of his tenure, Russellville opted to “play up,” taking on Class 3A teams instead of small schools their size. They fared well in this grand experiment. They finished 23-5 against Class 3A opponents, won district championships all four years, and reached three regional finals. They appeared headed to the Final Four in their final season in the class, leading Paducah Tilghman at Rhea Stadium before letting it slip away. Tilghman went on to the state finals.
Myers also had a successful run as RHS principal before moving to the central office as director of transportation and maintenance. He will fill a similar position at Glasgow.
Myers’ wife Jennifer is in her first year as principal of Highland Elementary School in Glasgow. When she accepted the position, the family decided that their son John Carter would go with her and enroll at Glasgow High School, since he was beginning his freshman year. The plan was for their daughter Elly to spend her last two years of high school at RHS, where she was a cheerleader. Before long, though, she was also a Scottie.
Mrs. Myers is from Metcalfe County in the Glasgow area and is very close to her family there. John is a native of Hancock County near Owensboro. He quarterbacked Campbellsville College. She attended Georgetown College.
Meanwhile John’s career took a turn when he wasn’t chosen superintendent of Russellville Schools not too long after his wife’s departure from her role as assistant principal of Russellville JR/SR High. Whether that affected the board’s ultimate decision or not is not certain. What is clear is that the board chose a good man and good educator in Bart Flener for the position.
Not only did Coach Myers have to spend this fall without his family, but this was not a particularly satisfying football season for the Panthers. They lost to crosstown rival Logan County, which went on to be named Team of the Year in Kentucky, and they did not win the championship of a district that didn’t include Mayfield for the first time in 11 years. Their 7-5 record was Russellville’s worst in six years and the third worst of his 14 in Pantherland.
He tells The LoJo he has no current plans to resume coaching. “I’m not sure about the coaching,” he texted. “It’s a possibility but right now not a priority. I need some time away from it at least a little while.
In addition to his skills as a coach and a school administrator, John Myers is a good man, as demonstrated in this announcement of his resignation, which follows;
“I was hoping to do this in person for so many of you, but my timing and God's plan didn't match up exactly. My plan and God's plan were not the same, but I want you to know God's plan is always greater than our plans.
“It is with a heavy heart that I will not be returning to my current positions in the Russellville School System. Today I accepted a similar position in the Glasgow School system where my wife works and my children attend school.
“I have spent 14 amazing years in Russellville and I thank the Russellville School System for giving me opportunities I never would have had elsewhere. I thank the community for your support and welcoming my family with open arms. I want to thank my current and former players and coaches for buying in and continuing the tradition that is Russellville Football. I want to say thank you to so many people for making my time at Russellville and unbelievable experience but if I try to name each of you I will leave someone out and I refuse to do that.
“I have been a Panther longer than I have been anything else and will cherish my time in Russellville. However it is time to welcome new opportunities and follow God's plan.
“With that said, Thank You Panther Nation for 14 amazing years and best of luck!! The Tradition Continues!!!”
In related stories, see Principal Ben Bruni’s comments on Coach Myers on The LoJo at http://www.theloganjournal.com/Stories.aspx?Article=guests511
Also see a year-by-year, team-by-team summary of John Myers’ seasons on The LoJo at http://theloganjournal.com/Stories.aspx?Article=sports1038