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photo by Marcus Frazier
Dee Faircloth has been the head coach of Vidalia High School ever since 1969, when he took over for Don Alonzo.
Faircloth still passionate about Vidalia football
Published Thursday, July 17, 2008
ViIDALIA — Four months is all that kept Dee Faircloth from being a Yellow Jacket instead of a Viking.
Following a stint as a graduate assistant at Northeastern Louisiana University (currently the University of Louisiana-Monroe), Faircloth wound up at his mother’s house ready to fill an assistant coach position at Kinder High in Louisiana, who was the defending state champion at the time.
“I was at my mother’s house and Walter Stampley, who was the (Vidalia High) principal then, called and offered me an assistant’s job,” Faircloth said.
“And so I came over and talked to him and what sold me on coming to Vidalia was that if I’d gone to Kinder, my first paycheck would have started Oct. 1.
“Vidalia started me July 26.”
When Dee Faircloth was hired at Vidalia High as an assistant coach under Don Alonzo in 1968, he just viewed the gig as a steppingstone to bigger and better positions.
“When I came here, I said ‘well, I’ll just be here one year and move up the ladder,’” Faircloth said.
The ladder must have fallen over; because 41 seasons later, Faircloth is still at the only high school he’s ever known as a head coach.
Like father like son
It’s no surprise Faircloth turned into a coach; after all, coaching has been in his blood since day one. His father, Dalton Faircloth, was the first football coach at Block High School. Among various high school coaching stops throughout his career, the elder Faircloth even coached at Texas A&M a few years prior to Bear Bryant’s famous “Junction Boys.”
Dee was somewhat of a nomad growing up. He attended 10 schools in 12 years due to his dad changing coaching jobs— which makes his tenure at Vidalia High even more interesting.
By Faircloth’s own admission, he didn’t want to put his children through what he went through.
“The toughest day for a kid is the first day at a new school,” Faircloth said.
After graduating from Mangham High, where Dee played quarterback and middle linebacker at 145 pounds, he attended Northeastern State University and played quarterback.
“You know where I’d be today,” Faircloth said referring to his size compared to today’s athletes, “water boy, I wouldn’t even be on the practice squad.”
The evolution of football
Faircloth has seen a lot from the sidelines during his 40-plus year love affair with football.
There are most certainly moments Faircloth would like to forget, but he hasn’t. His football memory is uncanny for a 64-year-old coach. He can rattle off names of former players with the ease of a person listing their parents.
In ’69, Johnny Lee Hoffpauir — the current Vidalia High baseball coach — was his first quarterback.
Hoffpauir’s two sons, Josh and Jarrett, both played quarterback under Faircloth, and Josh was even Faircloth’s first All-State quarterback.
During his time at Vidalia, Faircloth has seen the game evolve from a run-oriented bruiser’s game, into a quarterback’s game — one of spread offenses and deep threats on every play.
“Back in ’67, you never saw any (spread offenses),” Faircloth said. “It was more or less smash mouth football. You didn’t see a lot of passing. You saw a lot of tight formations.
“Your defenses, (the opponent) would probably stay in one formation. Nowadays, they’ll be in 42 different defenses and spread you out all over the field.”
Over the years, players as well as the game itself, have changed.
“My first year, back in 1968, we had one guy who could bench press 200 pounds,” Faircloth said. “We thought he was Superman. And now, we’ve got about 80 kids that can bench press about 200 pounds.”
Faircloth has found a knack for winning with smaller players than the opposition.
“We’ve always been small,” Faircloth said. “Everybody else has 6-foot-2 middle linebackers, and ours are 5-foot-6.”
Where the Vikings lack in size, Faircloth said they makeup in work ethic.
“Our biggest detriment is our size,” Faircloth said. “To combat that you’ve got to be quick, you’ve got to be aggressive and you’ve got to be strong.
Is the end of an era nearing?
While Faircloth wouldn’t peg a timeline for when he plans to retire, he did insinuate it’s not too distant in the future either.
“It’s a lot tougher now than it used to be, especially when you’re 64 years old,” Faircloth said. “It’s basically a young man’s game. It won’t be too long (until retirement). I told my wife it’s getting tougher and tougher.”
Faircloth said it’s the seemingly minor things that make coaching tough for him nowadays.
“Last night at midnight I turned off the water on my field,” Faircloth said. “Little things like that people don’t realize go into coaching. People think it’s like summer league baseball, where the baseball coach has his bat bag in his trunk — it’s not like that.
“When I started coaching, I didn’t realize I was going to have to be a farmer, electrician, plumber, custodian, counselor and doctor. There are a lot of hats that go into coaching.”
While the game and players have changed over the years, Faircloth’s desire to win has not.
“When you step out between those lines on Friday night, it’s the same for me as when I started,” Faircloth said. “I can’t stand to lose. I’m not a good loser.
“If I’m playing my grandmother in checkers I’m going to beat the snot out of her,” Faircloth said jokingly.
Comments
Posted by Shorts (anonymous) on July 17, 2008 at 7:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Coach Faircloth is without a doubt one of the best people on this earth. I played for him from 1994-1998, and he was like a second father to me. He has put some much of his life into that school and football program, and he should be recognized for that EVERYDAY. And don't let him fool you about retiring...he has said the same thing for the past 10 years! They will have to bury him on that field. Thanks Coach!
Posted by vidaliagal23 (anonymous) on July 17, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i love coach faircloth is one of the best men i have ever met!!
Posted by pattiemorris (anonymous) on July 17, 2008 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Retire?! I can't begin to imagine Vidalia Viking Football without Coach Faircloth. He taught my son Ben, alot more than football. He treated him like his own kid. I'm sure there are thousands who can and will say the same. I will always love you, Coach, You are the best!
Posted by acedog (anonymous) on July 17, 2008 at 5:13 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by Shorts (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
acedog...you don't have clue! Would it be fair for me to judge you based on your lack of proper grammar? Coach Faircloth is a lot more than just the plays he runs. The fact that he is still at Vidalia, sticking with kids that come through the school, putting some discipline on the plates of kids that today just don't have any, is a huge relief and breath of fresh air in my eyes. You can sit there and talk bad about the man for the plays he runs all you want, but grow up and look at the bigger picture, and realize that he is not only one of the best persons at that school, but one of the best all around.
Posted by vikingfan (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Acedog, you are not obviously not a very bright person. If "alot of the kids don't even play football" at Vidalia High is true, why does he have about 80 players, yeah 80, go out for football each year. Have you checked the sidelines? Some of them don't stick with it, but there isn't another football program in this area with that percentage of male students going out for football. Also, about his record. Didn't he go 10-0 two years in a row recently and have several district championships. If you get down to the nitty gritty on the stats, he has a hell of alot of wins under his belt. I have been to almost all of the VHS Football games in the last 25 years and he has a great football program. I mean they did name the stadium after him, come on. I could go on for about three or four pages on this subject.
Posted by bigd (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 7:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i played for ferriday in the late 80's and we dominated this guy. he can't coach. he is what the people their want to see. he stacks up wins against weak teams such as wisner and jena, block.
Posted by blindink (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 6:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To win the football or sporting event is good, but it is not the most important thing. Coach Faircloth has taught thousands of young people, and I am one of those that he had from 1969 to 1972. When he came to Vidalia, he began teaching values and living a life that was and still is an example to us all. He taught us how to win in life by our failures and success on the football field, basketball court, and track. In those days that was the only three sports that there was. Coach has done more for the Vidalia youth than any person that I have known and there have been some great ones in my fifty-three years as Billy Shaw, Mr. Stamply, Coach Roy Rushing, Mr. Craft (father of Jerry, and Kerry), Coach Lloyd, Coach Marsalis and others. However, the Coach...Coach Faircloth, stands a head above them all. He has always been there for all the youth, even the ones that do not play sports. Just think about it, all the kids he had taught over the years, he has taught values, how to be dependable, how to achieve, and most of all he has and is still there. Coach is the MAN and he always will be the one teacher that ever adult and child in Vidalia knows and cares about. Winning the game does not even come close to what he has accomplished, he is a winner at life and has taught us all and is still teaching our great grand kids the values of life.
Posted by bigd (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
spare me please.
Posted by vikingfan (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 10:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wisner hasnt had a team since I have lived in Vidalia. You are spared, since you are stupid.
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on July 20, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Acedog I am with you. He done me so wrong on the last game of my senior year....pulling me out of the game because it was conveinent to blame me for Ferriday defense slaughtering our pathetic offensive line. You have to have a certain "last name" to be in the good with the guy. I use to respect this guy alot but never again. Heck, Ferriday's defense were calling the plays we were going to run!!! Its time to go Faircloth.
Posted by debra818 (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 2:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Coach Faircloth was one of my favorite people at VHS, when I was a senior in 1973 and was a cheerleader. I was happy to see his article, even though I read the Democrat online and am now living in Oregon. Best wishes to you Coach!
Posted by Shorts (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Again, Acedog, Ghost, and Bigd, you just can't see the bigger picture. It's time to move on and grow up and realize that there is more to a football coach than wins and losses. Sad thing is, you sit here and talk bad about Coach after playing for him, and he probably cares or cared more for you than you know. But go ahead and continue bad-mouthing him. True colors always come through...
Posted by geauxtigersgeaux (anonymous) on July 23, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Coach Faircloth is so much bigger than just a coach...though his stats for the past 2 years haven't been the strongest, you have to have boys willing to give you 110% on the field! so please don't bad mouth a man who spends countless amount of hours at the school even during the summer. ever where I go and they ask where I'm from, they all ask is Coach Faircloth is there. He is a kind hearted man that places a memory in everyone past.
Posted by skippydammit (anonymous) on July 23, 2008 at 6:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kudos to Coach Faircloth for a great job.
He has helped MANY young men better themselves
in the Vidalia program.
Retirement? Hope not any time soon !
:)
Posted by crawgator (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 6:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Because I don't get the paper and I try to keep up on line I somehow missed this article. I was totally shocked when I read ghost ace and bigd's comments. I can't imagine anyone badmouthing Coach. I played for him in the late 70's and in 3 years we won 3 games. Yes it was tough, but I never once thought he couldn't coach. even if they did know what we were gonna run I was man enough to stand up and fight the fight, not whine about it 20 plus years later. You have never heard of one of his players being in trouble like a lot of other area schools, if you did he wasn't a player anymore. I could go on and on about his great character but the people who really know him already know that.
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