Our ITG Next Florida “4 Questions” this week features Hamilton County head football coach Chris Cook, who recently completed his first season in that role for the Trojans and his second overall with the program. Here we learn more about Coach Cook, his coaching background, and his plans for the Hamilton County football program moving into next season and beyond.
Q. Coach Cook, thank you for taking the time to answer our “4 Questions” this week. I want to start off by asking you about your coaching history. Where did you begin your career?
A. When I walked in the door of my first teaching job at [Central Florida’s] Sebring Middle School, my principal asked if I wanted to coach football. Coaching wasn’t even a blip on the radar at that time. But I said sure, I’d love to help. Little did I know she meant that I would be the head coach. I guess she thought I’d be interested since I went to high school and played football at a rival school in the adjacent county [Hardee High School], which was a very successful program. That was 24 years ago, and I have been coaching ever since.
I coached that middle school team for three years and built the program up from 22 kids to more than 50. I also helped run and develop the local youth program, which at the time was Pop Warner and later Mid Florida Football. I learned a lot about coaching during those first few years. I was asked to take the athletic director position at the high school, and I went from the middle school to Sebring High. I also assumed the head JV football position while there, along with the head track position. I also helped with wrestling.
In 2013 I accepted a job as the special teams coordinator and a position coach at my high school alma mater in Hardee County. I was also the head basketball coach. Both of my sons were in school until 2016, so I did not pursue a head coaching job anywhere until they graduated. In 2016 I accepted a head coach position at Central Florida Christian Academy in Orlando. I resigned from that position and went to Moore Haven as the offensive coordinator for three years. From there I took over as the head coach at Weeki Wachee High School in Hernando County. I stayed there for three years, then came to Hamilton County to be the football team’s offensive line coach. After one season at Hamilton, I was hired as the head coach. I am now entering my second season as the Trojans head coach.
Q. Tell us about the year you spent as an assistant coach before taking over as the Hamilton County football head coach. Did that give you a unique perspective on what the team’s strengths and weaknesses were as you got ready to take over the head coach position?
A. As an assistant, I had a chance to make many observations about the school and the team. I am from a small town in the south-central part of the state. Wauchula and Hardee County and Jasper and Hamilton County are very similar. I love the small-town feel and the sense of pride that is usually associated with places like this. So I feel at home here. I feel like this type of community is a definite strength of the program. Also, there are quite a number of potentially talented athletes here. So the potential to be successful is very good.
We do, however, need to work on a few things. Participation was not very high the year that I was the O-line coach. I believe we played our last game with 16 kids. We were able to increase the numbers substantially this past season. We had 48 kids on the roster and normally dressed around 40 on game nights.
The other major area we need to improve on is off-season commitment from the kids. That has also increased dramatically. We did two sessions per day over my first summer as the HC. We averaged around 40 kids each day. Thanks to our administration at Hamilton High, we were able to put together an athletic development class that is primarily our football team. Now we can see almost all our guys every day, and lift and work on speed and agility. While those two areas have greatly improved, we still need more commitment.
Q. Hamilton County has enjoyed a great history of winning football, but the program has also struggled a bit n recent years, which I guess can be said of any high school football program. The Hamilton community loves its football though, which I am sure is a great foundation for building up a high school football program. Can you talk about that feedback you get from the community with regard to the football program?
A. So far, we have had great feedback from the community. I am very grateful for the many individuals and businesses that have given our boys monetary donations and food items. I implemented a “Dress for Success” initiative for the football program. Ms. Kizzy Burch, a gracious community member, raised money to purchase embroidered ties for the team. We have an active social media campaign to reach the community. We post 500-plus pictures of every game, plus pics and videos of our kids at camps, participating in various activities, and so on. We try to be as visible to the community as possible. The feedback and support have been very positive. It is definitely a privilege to serve in this community.
Q. What can you tell us about the work the Trojans are putting in this offseason and the outlook for the 2024 season? Feel free to talk about any of the kids you think could rise up as Hamilton County football team leaders this year.
A. As I stated earlier, we are getting in great work during the school day in our athletic development class. Not only are we getting better, stronger, faster, and bigger, our culture is changing. Being able to see our kids everyday gives us the opportunity to do character development and teambuilding activities. I am also holding after-school workouts for the few kids who are not able to be in the athletic development class. It is encouraging that many of the kids who are in the class during the school day show up after school to get in extra work. I am very encouraged by the buy-in I am seeing by our kids.
I have a number of underclassmen who are going to be top contributors this season:
- Keiondre Jones (LB/RB, Class of 2026)
- Caleb Boatwright (LB, 2026)
- Marvion Wallace (WR/DB, 2027)
- John’L Lawson (RB/CB, 2027)
- Brandon Atwood (QB/LB, 2026)
- Kyle Brown (RB/LB, 2026)
I am looking for our seniors to take the helm and be leaders on the field, in the locker room, and in the classroom. These four seniors will be among our top contributors:
- Charvin Newsome (OL/DL, 2025)
- Nate Ortiz (ATH/CB, 2025)
- Tait Pritchard (OL/DL, 2025)
- Javier Cohen (ATH/DB, 2025)
