Fort Mill, Nation Ford looking for new coaches

Both Fort Mill and Nation Ford high schools are in search of new head coaches.

Fort Mill is looking for a new baseball coach after Brad Mercer put in his resignation recently after nine seasons at the helm for the Jackets. Nation Ford needs a new head girls’ basketball coach after Tamara Washington stepped down after two seasons.

Mercer, who is the reigning Teacher of the Year for Fort Mill High, posted a 118-93 record during his time as head baseball coach. He said he knew coming into this past season that it would be his last.

“This is 100 percent my decision,” he said.

“I knew before the season started this would be it. The only other people I told were (athletic director) Dwayne (Hartsoe) and (principal) Dee (Christopher), and of course my wife.”

Mercer said his main reason for stepping away was to spend more time with his wife and 6-year-old daughter.

“I am ready to be around more for my daughter and wife,” he said.

“My wife has supported me for 15 years of following my passion for baseball. Now it’s time to support my wife and be around more. At this point in my life I am ready to do more family stuff. I would like to thank the administration and the teachers that have supported me. I want to thank the players. They played hard for me and I couldn’t ask for any more.”

Mercer said he felt good about stepping away at this point in time and said he knows he gave everything he had to the program. Hartsoe said he plans on posting the position and hopes to have it filled by the end of the school year. Mercer said he still plans on staying at the school and teaching math.

Washington stepped down at the end of March as head girls’ basketball coach at Nation Ford. She posted a 20-28 record there in two seasons and the team made the playoffs last year. Nation Ford Athletic Director Brian Turner said he hopes to have the position filled this month.

In a text message Washington said, “I only want to wish the Lady Falcons basketball program well and pray this coming season will be a successful one.”

This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Fort Mill, Nation Ford looking for new coaches."