Middletown’s new head football coach
Who: Troy Everhart
Age: 41
Family: Wife (Maureen), one daughter (Jaden)
Overall record: 80-41 (11 seasons)
Playing history: Played at Bryan High School and St. Joe's College
Coaching history: Assistant coach at Withrow (1996) and Oak Hills (1997-98), head coach at Winton Woods (1999-2009)
MIDDLETOWN — Troy Everhart will take some time to evaluate in his new role as the Middletown High School football coach, but one thing he knows already is the foundation of a good program has been started.
In Jason Krause’s three seasons, the Middies were 26-7, had two consecutive 10-win seasons, won a Greater Miami Conference championship and earned back-to-back Division I playoff berths.
“The biggest impact is from the great job done before me,” said Everhart, who knows a thing or two about winning himself.
In 11 seasons at Winton Woods, Everhart compiled an 80-41 record to become the school’s all-time winningest coach. He also took the Warriors to the playoffs in five straight seasons culminating in a Division II state championship in 2009.
“I was driving through Middletown when I was thinking about taking the job,” Everhart said. “This is a town that supports the Middies. They want them to be successful and I wanted to be a part of that.
“There is a tremendous amount of talent here,” he continued. “But I’m not the end all, be all. Some of the best teams I’ve had were player-coached teams. We elect captains and we need to let them be that. We had that at Winton Woods and that’s why we made the playoffs.”
Everhart stepped away from the high school ranks after that state championship season in 2009 to become the Director of Recruiting Services at the University of Cincinnati, but he said he missed the on-field interaction.
“For 11 years, I felt I made an impact on kids,” Everhart said. “But last year I didn’t feel I was doing enough.
“I was very fortunate at UC,” he continued. “It was a great opportunity, but it was all off the field. This was an opportunity to come back and be able to change kids’ lives.”
Everhart said he wants to run an offense “that scores.”
“There is a certain formula to winning football games,” Everhart said. “Guys like (Pat) Mancuso, (Steve) Klonne and (Steve) Sheehan had it. We’re going to be a team that spreads to field. We’re not going to bunch ourselves up and not use our speed. My goal is to get as many kids open as possible.”
In the 2009 state championship season, Winton Woods scored 633 points, the highest output in school history. Comparatively, the Middies also totaled their highest output in 2009 with 466 points.
Middletown opens next season with games against three playoffs teams — Division I state runner-up Wayne, Troy and Everhart’s former school Winton Woods before getting into the GMC.
“I’m going to have to prove to the kids I’m serious about what I am saying,” Everhart said. “Talk is cheap. I can tell the kids to be in the weight room, but if I’m not there, then what? I was at every practice and every weight room lifting session (at Winton Woods). They need to get to know me and I need to get to know them. Do they dream of going to college or winning a state title?
“It’s going to take a greater commitment by the coaches and the players,” he continued. “Getting to the top is easy. Staying there is hard.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.
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