Mooresville coach resigns after one season

By: Larry Sullivan | Mooresville Tribune
Published: November 20, 2009

The Steve McCurry football coaching era at Mooresville High School lasted just one season.

McCurry, hired in late April, submitted his resignation Thursday, effective in January. His team went 0-11 this season.

The announcement was made by Principal Todd Wirt in a press release Thursday afternoon.

" The Mooresville Graded School District would like to report that Mr. Steve McCurry has resigned his position as teacher and head football coach at Mooresville Senior High School for personal reasons.

"Mooresville Senior High would like to thank Mr. McCurry for his service over the last year and wish him luck with future endeavors"

McCurry, who told his players of his decision during a team meeting Thursday, in April became just the third head coach of the Blue Devils in nearly 20 years, taking over a team riddled by the loss to graduation of a record number of seniors and also the one asked to guide the program into a new competitive phase as a participant in the state's largest 4A class ranks.

A combination of factors, including the absence of those 32 seniors off the previous year's nine-win team that advanced into the second round of 3AA class postseason play, injuries, illnesses and a difficult non-conference as well as inaugural I-Meck Conference schedule, resulted in the first winless season for the Devils, who posted an 0-11 record.

"It was his decision to resign for family-related personal reasons," said Wirt.

"Once we're through dealing with all this, we'll gather a team of administrators and start the process as soon as possible for recruiting a replacement."

McCurry came on board officially in early May, arriving in Mooresville following a successful two-year head coaching stay at Tennessee's Greeneville High School. His teams there registered a combined 21-6 record, earning back-to-back conference championships and also making extended state postseason appearances.

Prior to that stint, McCurry spent four years as the head football coach at A.C. Reynolds in Asheville, where his teams went a combined 36-13 and claimed a trio of conference championship crowns. All four teams also advanced into state postseason play.

McCurry stood out among a pool of nearly 60 candidates for the available head coaching job at Mooresville.

However, McCurry was unable to carry over his past successes with Mooresville. Off-the-field concerns with his family's situation due to the fact that it was never able to fully relocate to the area contributed to his decision to resign, according to Wirt.

In addition to vacating the head football coaching position, McCurry, who has a B.S. degree in physical education from Western Carolina University, will also depart form his duties as an educator in the school's P.E. department.

"We'll be looking to do what's best for our football program,'' added Wirt.