Friday's Internet Edition, November 21, 2008.
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| DARRELL PISKE |
Piske, 47, was hired by FISD trustees Monday evening after an interview before the school board.
“I’ve known about Fairfield my entire life. I’m looking for an opportunity to build a program,” he says.
The Fairfield Eagles football program is in need of rebuilding after a pair of 1-9 seasons that resulted in the resignation of head coach David Haynes in December.
As head football coach at Valley Mills since 2003, Piske led the Eagles to the Class A Division I quarter finals last season and the Division I semi finals in 2006, losing each year to the eventual state champion runner-up.
The Valley Mills Eagles were picked fifth in a 7-team district before play began, but proved the experts wrong.
Piske was named a finalist for the Gordon Wood Award in Class A after the 2007 season. The award is given to the coach of the year in each competitive class.
When the coach arrived, he took over a football program that had not made the post season playoffs since 1995 and compiled a 30-25 record over five years.
Under his tutelage as athletic director, Valley Mills teams advanced to the playoffs in every sport—-the softball team advanced to the regional finals for the first time, the baseball team played in the state tournament and the boys’ basketball team reached the regional semi finals for the first time.
The coach expects the same success at Fairfield.
“There is a tradition at Fairfield and I want to be a part of that tradition,” he declares.
Piske is a 1978 graduate of Marlin high school, earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education at Tarleton State University in 1984 and a master of education degree in physical education at Tarleton in 1985.
He played wide receiver for the TSU Texans football team, earning first team all conference honors at wide receiver two years, serving as a team captain two years, earning offensive Most Valuable Player honors two years and making Academic All-American honorable mention.
The coach also ran track one year at Tarleton, competing in the 400-meter dash, 400-meter hurdles and as a member of the mile relay team.
His first job after graduating college was at Terrell high school, a Class AAAA school, from 1985-88 where he coached the freshmen football team, varsity receivers and golf team, while also teaching business education and serving as director of the alternative placement center.
Piske went to Scurry-Rosser, a Class AA school, for a year as football defensive coordinator, head track coach, off-season coordinator and business education teacher.
Other stops have included three seasons as varsity wide receiver coach at Copperas Cove, a Class AAAA school, secondary coach and head track coach at Class AAA Kennedale, and as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Class A Bartlett.
At Bartlett, Piske was part of a program that won the 1999 state championship, advanced to the 1998 state semi finals and 2000 area finals.
In addition to football at Bartlett, he was head boys’ track coach and head girls’ softball coach.
Although he has served as an offensive and defensive coordinator over the years, Piske says he will wait to evaluate his staff before deciding what duties, other than head coach, he will assume with the Eagles.
“If you have a title and a job to do, I’m going to let you get it done,” the coach says. “It’s a team effort and let’s just coach.”
Piske will be allowed to bring in two assistant coaches to fill a pair of vacancies in the Fairfield ranks. He also will fill any other vacancies that could occur.
Having coached several types of offensive and defensive teams over the years, the coach is not set on a particular scheme, but explains that his players will be well-versed in several types of formations.
“I’ve run every offense there is. You look at the kids and see what strengths they have, then design your offense around that,” Piske says.
The coach was selected by a search committee from a field of more than 100 applicants. Members of the search committee were FISD superintendent Tony Price, high school principal Von Wade and former Eagles head coach Randy Angel.
Of those applicants, the committee interviewed 10 coaches and presented one to the school board for approval.
Piske has been awarded a 2-year contract at about $75,000 per year.
The coach and his wife of 24 years, Debbie, are parents of three sons, Dustin, 19, Dalton, 17, and Dylan, 10.
Mrs. Piske is an English as a Second Language teacher, but currently is filling in as a second grade teacher at Valley Mills.
The coach hopes to start his new duties and move to Fairfield as soon as possible.