Enterprise soccer coach Halcomb resigns

By Jeremy Wise

Published: July 2, 2008

ENTERPRISE — Three-time Dothan Eagle Super 12 Soccer Coach of the Year Randy Halcomb will not return to lead the Enterprise Wildcats boys program next year, the coach told The Enterprise Ledger Wednesday.

Halcomb first worked with EHS for two years as the junior varsity coach, a program he helped start. The past three years, he has served as the varsity head coach.

Enterprise was section champion each year and compiled a 60-10-2 record, he said.

“I no longer had the hours to put into it,” he said. “If you’re not going to do it right, you need to stay at the house. I caught myself this season doing things halfway.”

If he did things halfway, it did not show on the field. Enterprise went 23-0 in the regular season. The Wildcats had a disappointing finish, however, as they lost to eventual state runner-up Prattville in the first round.

The loss snapped a streak of two years of Final Four appearances for the Wildcats.

“Twenty-three-and-0 is hard to improve on,” Halcomb said. “I’ve taken it about as far as I can.”

Halcomb, who refused to accept a salary for his work at Enterprise, said business ventures and family time are other reasons for resigning.

Halcomb manages a country Christian teenage band, The Springs, and he said the venture is doing well.

“The band has taken off,” he said. “(Doing soccer and business) is burning me. I’m not one to do it halfway. The economy’s tight. With my rental properties and the music business, if I’m not doing that right, the bills don’t get paid.”

Halcomb began coaching soccer in Enterprise at the YMCA in 1977. Over the years, he has created club soccer teams.

He started the Southern Soccer League for club soccer. He said he will remain as the league’s commissioner.

Halcomb said club soccer has helped many high school programs in the area.

“When we started, kids from Daleville and Charles Henderson were with us, and that helped start their high school programs,” he said, adding girls soccer also got its start in the clubs.

“As travel soccer goes, so does high school ball,” he said. “Both (the EHS girls and boys programs) are doing strong because of club soccer.”

Even though he will remain the Southern Soccer League’s commissioner, Halcomb said an era in Enterprise soccer has ended.

“I was in the room with (former Enterprise City Schools Superintendent) Thad Morgan when we started the program,” he said.

Halcomb’s resignation will not be official until the next Enterprise City Board of Education meeting, which is scheduled for July 24.

Jeremy Wise is the sports editor of The Enterprise Ledger.