Grayson Howell Easley's New Football Coach

Grayson Howell will lead the Green Wave as the Easley High School new head football coach.

Previously an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Sumter High School, Howell was introduced as Easley's new head coach yesterday afternoon.

“I hope that we don't have to do another search for quite some time,” said EHS Athletic Director Chris Carter. “Without question, in my opinion we have found the best possible to lead our young men in our football program at Easley High School.”

Howell began his coaching career as an assistant at Daniel High School under Allen Sitterle in 1994. He coached at Strom Thurmond High School from 1995-2000, where the team was a state finalist in 1995 and upper state finalist in 1996. Howell has coached at Sumter since 2000, and became the team’s offensive coordinator in 2003. The team was a state finalist in 2003 and 2008.

There were certain characteristics about Howell that were obvious when Carter spoke to him.

“Number one, our coach is a Christian,” Carter said. “To me, that's the most important quality, simply because the devil's after our children and the more quality people we can surround our children with, the better chance they have.”

Rev. Billy Graham has said that “the most influential person in America is a high school coach,” Carter said.

“Because they model character behavior,” Carter said. “Our coach may be the only Bible our kids ever see.”

Howell is also a devoted husband and father. His three children will soon be Easley students, Carter said.

“It's important for our students to see men who are successful in their marriage and their relationship with their family,” Carter said.

Howell is “a tremendous teacher,” Carter said.

“I was told by several people, 'The day he walks on your campus, he may be the best teacher on your faculty,'” he said.

Howell graduated from Sumter High before heading to Clemson University, where he earned his B.S. in Management and his teaching certification. He also holds a master’s degree in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy.

One of Howell's coworkers at Sumter High said he teaches the “hidden curriculum.”

“Respect, doing what's right and working hard,” Carter said.

Howell said he feel in love with the area. He was a substitute teacher at Easley School while attending grad school.

“I've spent portions of my life here,” Howell said. “I look forward to being here for a long time. This is a place where you come to stay.”

“God called me to do this to impact young people's lives,” he said. “Hopefully we've done that in the 19 years I've been in football so far and hopefully we'll continue to do that in years to come. I can't wait to for us get started. I know you've had some success and I want us to continue to be successful.

“I can't be every player's daddy, but if he needs it, I guess that's what we'll do,” Howell said. said. “Guys, what we want to do is make you great men. Anything else, it doesn't matter, because if you're great men, we'll win football games.

“I'm worried about you being great dads, I'm worried about you being great husbands, I'm worried about you being great men in this community” Howell told players. “And we'll work toward that goal every day. That's my promise to you.”

Carter said that while he hated to see Coach Chad Smith go, “you always have to have a Plan B, even if it's just in the back of your mind.”

“I knew that after the success that Chad had, how marketable he would be, so I wasn't surprised when other schools came calling,” Carter said.

Smith announced earlier this month that he would be leaving EHS to coach at Clover High School.

Carter said the search was “exhausting.”

“Because you know the decision – good, bad or indifferent - is going to effect kids, and those kids are our students,” Carter said. “We really tried to turn over every rock and tried to find out anything that we could and check references and call people. We're just extremely excited that a person of this quality was available and interested in our job. We're looking forward to it.”