Over the offseason, our coaching staff made two new hires for JV football, Coach Keenan Crump and Coach Ryan Bierlair, both former Pocahontas football coaches.
Despite Crump and Bierlair being new to the program (VHSL), the team pulled off a sound 22-12 victory over Goochland High on Thursday, Aug. 24th. “The team didn’t lay down, and in the second half answered the call,” said Crump, at practice after the game.
Bierlair, also pleased with the performance, said that the value he has in resilience and hard work was well-displayed in the game. “Even though we didn’t light up the scoreboard, we shut down Goochland in a way that gives me confidence for the games to come,” said Crump, with his final thoughts of the season’s first game. Holding a team to a mere 12 points is an excellent achievement for a first game.
Working together at Pocahontas plays a significant part in their chemistry. When asked about getting the chance to coach with his old partner, Crump said, “When the spot opened up, I decided since Bierlair and I just wrapped up a successful season at Pocahontas, I would hop in the co-pilot seat and fly with the Eagles.”
When asked the same question Bierlair said, “Since Pocahontas feeds into Godwin when the opportunity came to move up, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me.”
The journey to start coaching was similar for both of them. As young kids, both coaches loved the sport and decided they wanted to stay involved even after their playing days ended.
Specifically for Crump, teaching history to middle schoolers led him back onto the field. “When I started teaching, I figured, what better way to get involved with helping kids outside of the classroom. It’s been something I’ve really enjoyed doing, watching them grow as teammates, individuals, and athletes,” said Crump.
Bierlair’s path was slightly different. He said, “Originally, I’ve always wanted to be [involved] in sports, so when I was in 7th grade, I decided that if I didn’t make it as a player, I’d put my hat in the ring and do some coaching because I love the game.”
In the end, both coaches come from similar backgrounds and have great chemistry due to their shared previous coaching experience. That chemistry was on display during their second game, against Patrick Henry on Tuesday, Sept. fifth, which ended in a smashing 30-6 win.
With these comfortable victories in the books, both coaches share their confidence in the teams performance going into the rest of the season.
