By Myra Bean

South Panola football program has procured the services of 2014 Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame Inductee Chuck Friend.

Friend was approved by the South Panola School Board Tuesday night at its monthly meeting. He brings with him a long list of accomplishments from his 29-year coaching career.

“I feel honored that coach Woods asked me to come with him,” Friend said. “South Panola is rich in tradition and coach (Willis) Wright was part of that when he took the position back in the 90s. I was impressed not just with the football players but with the whole student body.”

Friend went on to say he is excited to be coming to South Panola.

“I love coaching and I look forward to it,” he added.

Before being inducted into the hall of fame, Friend led Starkville to back-to-back state championships in 1994 and 1995. He led Neshoba Central to the state championship game for three straight years, even though they lost.

He started his coaching career at Lee High School in Columbus in 1978. From there he went to Caledonia and then to Starkville in 1980 and 1981 with coach Willis Wright. He went to Neshoba Central until 1994 before he returned to Starkville for his second round from 1994 to 2001.

After Starkville, he took the head coaching position at Tuscaloosa Central until 2003. He then left the school for a sporting goods job.

He returned to school in 2007 at Neshoba Central and retired in 2014.

He went back to Starkville under coach Ricky Woods part time and was also at Leake Central.

His wife, is Stephanie, and he currently live in Philadelphia and have two children from a previous marriage, Will and Fleming and five grandchildren.

Friend will be at South Panola beginning January 3.