Terrebonne High parts ways with football coach Gary Hill: 'It's a tough thing'
Terrebonne High School will be looking for a new head football coach to replace longtime leader Gary Hill.
Terrebonne athletics director Scott Gauthreaux confirmed that the school has parted ways with Hill, who has served as the Tigers' head coach for the last 15 seasons.
“We definitely thank coach Hill," Gauthreaux said. "Coach Hill has been with us for a long time. He has done great work for our school. We had a good working relationship. We decided it was time to move in a different direction."
Hill, who announced that he signed his retirement papers after 25 years in the public school system on Tuesday and will take a new job in the private sector, said he was informed by Terrebonne's administration that the Terrebonne Parish School Board wanted to make a change on Dec. 22.
After 25 years, Hill said he deserved better treatment and more answers from the school board on why the decision was made.
“On the last day of school before the Christmas holidays, they told me they wanted to go in a different direction," Hill said. "When I asked who made the decision, they told me it wasn’t the principal or the athletic director’s decision. It came from the central office. Nobody could tell me who made the decision from the central office. After 25 years, someone could've told me who's decision it was to my face and why. I'm not bitter. I just didn't think it was appropriate.”
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Hill guided the Tigers to a 77-73 record in 15 years as head coach. He lead Terrebonne to the Class 5A state quarterfinal playoff round appearance with a 12-2 record in 2018. He led Terrebonne to the state playoffs 11 times in the last 15 years.
Hill has led Terrebonne through seasons shortened by COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida in the last two years.
The Tigers had a 3-3 record in 2020 followed by a 1-6 mark in 2021. The team lost several of its key experienced players who transferred to other areas after Ida's devastation in the Houma area on Aug. 31. They were forced to play with many freshmen and sophomores in 2021.
Hill said he wanted to thank former Terrebonne principal Graham Douglas and former superintendent Ed Richard for giving him an opportunity to lead the program 15 years ago. Hill helped send many of his former players on to college, including Maason Smith of LSU and Ja'Khi Douglas of Florida State.
“I think the program has made tremendous strides," Hill said. "I have no shame or regrets of what we accomplished at Terrebonne High School in the football program. It wasn’t just accomplished by myself, but it was also accomplished by the great players and assistant coaches. If our kids are going to college and making a difference on their teams, I think that says a lot about the process we've created. It shows it was working. This was not a failure by any stretch. It was a difference in principle and philosophy.
“I appreciate all the people that supported us and the program. It’s a tough thing, but I’ve got a tremendous opportunity ahead of myself and for my family. We’re going to take advantage of that opportunity. We’re going to move forward.”
Gauthreaux said Terrebonne has started its search for a new football coach. He posted the vacancy on the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's website Tuesday.
"We're looking for the next head coach who is going to come in and lead our football program to success in the future," Gauthreaux said. “We want somebody who is going to come in and help our students build character on and off the field. We’re going to find the best candidate possible.”
Reach Chris Singleton at 985-857-2213 or chris.singleton@houmatoday.com and on Twitter @courierchris.
This article originally appeared on The Courier: LHSAA football: Terrebonne High school parts ways with coach Gary Hill
