Friday, May 25, 2012

Former Gryphon coach Holt signs with RM Academy

New Rocky Mount Academy head football coach B.W. Holt.
Rocky Mount Academy announced on its website Friday that former Rocky Mount head football coach B.W. Holt has signed on to be the new head football coach at its school.

RMA plays eight-man football in the Carolinas Conference 8-Man Football League and is a member of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association.

Holt, 67, is just one of four active coaches in North Carolina with 300-plus wins. A former assistant coach in the East-West and Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas games, he led the Gryphons to a runner-up finish in the NCHSAA 3-A eastern finals in 2008. He also guided Rocky Mount to two other eastern final berths. He recorded a 71-12 record and won four conference titles during his tenure as the Gryphons' head coach.

"We are pleased to announce that Mr. Holt has signed with us to head up our football program and coach the varsity team," said Beth Covolo, RMA Head of School, on the website posting. "To the people of Rocky Mount, Coach Holt certainly needs no introduction. He is one of the most beloved coaches in the history of Rocky Mount football. His reputation for developing not only fine football players but exceptional people is a perfect fit for our school and our community. We are thrilled to have him lead our program and join the Rocky Mount Academy family."

Holt will be replacing Andy Jackson, who was head coach at RMA for many seasons. Holt was a candidate for the Gryphons' opening for a head coach earlier this spring, but he was not chosen to reprise his role as the school's winningest football coach - percentage-wise (84 percent).

During his 39 years as a head coach, Holt led teams to 20 conference titles and 21 playoff appearances. He has sent 60-plus high school football players to the college level - including seven from his 2008 squad - his last at Rocky Mount.

He had concluded his career with a coaching record of 321-112-2 after stops at Southwestern Randolph, Franklinton, Starmount, Tennessee High (Tn.), West Montgomery and Rocky Mount.