COVER STORY
COVER S
some of their best years ever. Our schedule had been hard.
We had hoped to go back down to 3A, but that didn’t
happen. Some years we had good backs and no line, and
some years we had a good line and no backs. Last year
we finally brought it all back together. There is not a big
difference between being good and being average.” Asked
if he ever had doubts about bringing the program back
to its winning ways Coach Rob responded, “I tried to not
lose patience and confidence. We never panicked. I was
aggravated at some things, but we always practiced the
same way. The players in the locker room knew we were
doing the right things. When things are bad, you find out
a lot about yourself. I tried to be consistent. I don’t get too
high or too low.”
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Golden Springs/Oxford
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Centre
500 Cedar Bluff Rd.
(256) 927-4203 Jacksonville
1204 Church Ave.
(256) 435-5741
Roanoke
4479 Hwy 431 N.
(334) 863-8902 Ohatchee
Indian Village
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30 | 2017 Pigskin Roundup the Magazine
Both coaches point to particular moments that were
turning points for their teams and programs in the 2016
season. Ohatchee’s Martin stated, “Last year at Weaver. It
was a big game with both teams undefeated and ranked in
the top ten. We were up 34-0 at one point and I told our
coaches in the headset that we must have a pretty good
team.” Hokes Bluff ’s Robertson said, “We started 0-3, but
I thought we had played well and I still thought they were
a special group. I was still positive. I think people were
wondering if we were going to be bad again and then we
beat Oneonta in overtime and it just snowballed from
there.”
Backing off and looking at the big picture beyond just
the 2016 season, both coaches believed their respective
programs could come back again. “I am eternally
optimistic. I despise losing. I thought we could change the
culture at Ohatchee. We just needed to find what our kids
could do well. One of the big things in changing the culture
was the weight room. We work there 40 plus weeks per
year. Coach Chris Findley deserves a lot of credit for getting
us bigger and stronger. Another thing is how we treat our
kids. We have respect for our kids and we expect them to
give respect to others in return. No profanity is allowed in
practice or games. We don’t have many rules, but we do
have high expectations. We have high expectations and we
expect to play for championships,” says Martin.
Robertson also knew the Eagles’ program could return,
“Except for a few years, I have basically been calling the
plays at Hokes Bluff since 1971 and I am still calling the
same plays. I haven’t changed much, but I am actually a
better coach than I was when we won a state title. I became
more of a complete coach during the losing seasons. I also
never doubted our community. They have always supported
all of our sports here at Hokes Bluff.”
The 2016 season was special in many ways to both
communities. Coach Martin says, “We have always brought
a great crowd home or away, but many Ohatchee folks
revitalized themselves last season. Our fans have always
wanted to wear Ohatchee stuff and be proud of their