As of January 1, Bill Wiles, an assistant on the Branford High School coaching staff the past two seasons assumed the duties of head football coach and athletic director (AD).

Wiles immediately stepped up the weight lifting program at BHS, and said, “if we are going to be able to compete with teams on our schedule we must have a strong weight lifting program. It’s always going to be weight lifting season.”

Wiles came to Branford with a winning record from several schools where he coached. With 21 years under his belt coaching and teaching Wiles says he’s here to produce a winning team, and feels he has good material to do it with.

Wiles first coaching job was in 1985 when he worked as an assistant to Richard Kennedy who won two state titles in Dunnellon. He said, “Kennedy believed in doing things the right way and I was impressed by this. I share much of his philosophy.” Wiles coached as an assistant at Dunnellon for five years.

Wiles first head coach and AD position was at Bell following his time with Kennedy. Wiles said, “at Bell I inherited a team not accustomed to winning. My first year there we went 0-10, but the second year we won 7 games which was Bell High School’s best record ever.”

Following a stint at Bell, Wiles had an opportunity to coach at Graceville High School in the Panhandle, where they were winners in all sports. This included the state football playoffs five years in a row 1993-1997. Wiles said, “my time and experience in Graceville was special to my coaching career. There was a winning tradition there, and we worked hard.”

In 1997 Trenton needed a football coach, and the job was appealing to Wiles since his wife Melissa was from Newberry. Wiles was at Trenton for five years. Three of the five, the Tigers went to the playoffs. “We had two real good teams at Trenton,” Wiles said.

Wiles left Trenton and went to Lowndes County High in Georgia where he stayed for two years prior to coming to Branford.

Wiles said, “I’ve coached with some of the best. We’ve won a lot of games, and I’ve learned a lot in my better than 20 years coaching.”

The new BHS head coach was born in Tennessee and moved with his family to Florida when he was in the sixth grade. He grew up in Deland and attended Deland High School. “I played every sport I could play up to the ninth grade, and at that point the competition got real stiff. I continued to maintain a lot of enthusiasm for sports. I played a lot of city league ball and summer recreation ball and always enjoyed it.”

Wiles is a graduate of the University of Florida where he decided in his sophomore year he wanted to teach and coach. He said, “I believe athletes need to know it’s a privilege to play sports, something they have to work hard for and earn. A standard should be set and attained. Athletes should know they are not just representing themselves, they are representing their family, high school, town and community. They should show that at all times.”

Wiles also believes athletes should be strong in the classroom. Education is a top priority. Attitude is also at the top of the list. He believes Branford High has the athletes to compete with the teams on the 2006 schedule. “We have a fine looking group of freshmen who have shown a lot of promise. They will be sophomores in the fall. There are sophomores and juniors who will return that are strong athletes.”

Wiles eluded to the fact he would like to see Buccaneer football return to a winning tradition such as the 1970s. “Branford has had some great teams and I believe we can do it again,” Wiles said.

Wiles and his wife Melissa who is a nurse have been married for 14 years. He said, the nicest surprise my wife and I experienced during our years together was when we learned we were going to be parents. Clyde Patterson Wiles is now 17 months old.

Spring football practice begins May 1 and Wiles is anticipating a good show of athletes. The Bucs will play a Spring game on Thursday night, May 18 in Bell. There will be four quarters. Buccaneer- Bulldog football starting at 6:30 p.m.