Higdon named SP’s new Athletic Director

By Brad Greer
South Panola did not have to look far to find a new athletic director to replace the outgoing Lance Pogue as the  school named Trea Higdon to the position.
Higdon, who also served as Batesville Junior High head football coach called the opportunity a “chance of a lifetime.”
“I starting working in 1995 at Water Valley where I coached everything from football to junior high basketball to head baseball coach for five years. At one time a assistant high school football coach, head junior high football coach, head junior high track and basketball coach. I also ran the alternative school there for 12 years, needless to say I’ve done a little bit of everything,” said Higdon.
With his father being in school administration, even at a young age it was something Higdon had his mind set on doing in the future.
“When I got certified to be an administrator and got hired here at South Panola in 2008 and the AD job was tagged into it and one of my career goals to hopefully one day get into that field and to reach that position is a dream come true  you could say,” said Higdon.
Higdon said he would like to thank superintendent Tim Wilder and the South Panola school board for giving  him the opportunity to lead the athletic program as well as serving as assistant principal at the high school.
With South Panola being widely regarded as having one of the top football programs not only in the state but in the nation, one of the goals Higdon has set is for other sports to be just as dominant  and to compete for championships on a regular basis.
“My main goal is for South Panola to not only be one of the top 6A programs in the state in all sports, but as many as great athletes we have on the football field we need them to get involved in playing more than one sport. We need to the most participation we can possibly have in every sport and I am talking everything from football to archery. I want to win a state championship in everything.”
Higdon also noted there are plans to possibly add more sports to the schools’ program in the future.
“ The one thing I do know about athletics is if it was not for it I would not be sitting here today. If it wasn’t for my seventh grade football coach I wouldn’t be here. I believe a good athletic director does everything he can to help his coaches and sets high standards for them not only on the field but in the classroom as well. But I do know if it wasn’t for the outstanding coaches we have some of these kids would not be here,” said Higdon.
Higdon went on to say working under Pogue was a great experience through out the years.
“I learned a lot from Coach Pogue and if it wasn’t for him I would not be here. He hired me and enabled me to be a part of an excellent school system.”
Higdon’s new job becomes effective July 1.