By Christian Malone
VALDOSTA — Saturday will be a special day for the family of Lowndes High defensive coordinator Randy Hill.
The longtime Vikings assistant coach will be coaching a Lowndes football team in the Georgia Dome for the fifth time on Saturday. But six hours earlier, two more members of his family will also get their chance to coach in the Dome.
At 3 p.m., Hill will watch his son, Brian, and his son-in-law, Jeff Littleton, help coach Cairo in their semifinal matchup with North Hall. This is the first trip to the Dome for both Cairo assistants.
“It is very special. Not many families get to experience this kind of thing,” Randy said. “Coach Mac (Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson) is letting me go up there early, so I can watch their game.”
Lowndes will face Camden County at 9 p.m. on Saturday. All of the state semifinal games are played in the Georgia Dome.
Brian Hill played in the secondary for his father, first at Worth County then at Lowndes. He got to play in the state semifinals in 1990 and 1991 for Worth (before the semis were held in the Dome). After graduating from college, he taught at Hahira Middle and Lowndes Middle, and was a community coach for Lowndes when it won the state championship in 1999. He then became an assistant at Worth County, where his dad had coached for 13 years under future Lowndes coach Milt Miller. Like his dad has done for many years, Brian coaches defensive backs.
Jeff Littleton is married to Randy’s daughter, Kristi. He is the defensive coordinator for the Syrupmakers. Littleton started in the secondary for his future father-in-law at Worth. While he was playing, Worth made it to the state championship game in 1986 and 1987, winning the title in ’87.
“They’re both good people, and have become good coaches,” Randy said. “They’ve been around good coaches for many years, and you can tell they’ve learned a lot.”
They’ve also given Randy and his wife Margie four granddaughters: Aubrey and Addison Hill, and Anna Kate and Emily Littleton. At least three of them will be in the Dome on Saturday to watch their dads coach, then to watch their grandfather do the same thing later.
Randy Hill has coached football for 37 years. He is in his 15th season at Lowndes, after spending 13 at Worth and nine at Appling County. Between Lowndes and Worth, he has coached in 11 state semifinals. He retired from teaching in 2004, but continues to be the defensive coordinator for the Vikings.
“I enjoy it,” he said. “I’ve been blessed to work for some great coaches and some great players. I coached with Milt for 26 years, and now for Coach Mac for six years. They’ve both been great to coach for.”
Randy is also a veteran, having served a year in Vietnam with the U.S. Army. He earned a silver star for bravery as a combat medic in Vietnam.
Randy loves getting to watch Brian and Jeff coach.
“I don’t get to see them (coach) much, because we’re usually playing, but I watch them when I get the chance,” he said. “I got to see them play Moultrie in the preseason, and then Westover in our off-week.
“I watch from the sideline, because they get me a sideline pass, and it’s a great feeling.”
So what is the longtime defensive coach’s assessment of his son and son-in-law’s defense at Cairo?
“They know what they’re doing,” Randy said. “Their players get after it now. They use an eight-man front, and it’s worked well for them.”
Randy is thrilled to see both Brian and Jeff coaching.
“I can’t think of a better profession for them to be in than this, helping all of these kids,” he said. “They’re coaching, and my daughter’s a math teacher, and I’m happy for them.”
Now that all three coaches in the family have made it to the Dome, Randy would like to see them move on.
“Hopefully we’ll win and Cairo will win, and we’ll both get to play for a state championship next week.”
