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Atkinson resigns from Fairmont football post
by Brad Crawford
Nov 28, 2012 | 5541 views | 11 11 comments | 10 10 recommendations | email to a friend | print
First-year coach James Atkinson stepped down as the leader of Fairmont's football program Wednesday. He plans to discuss the decision with his team on Thursday. | File Photo
First-year coach James Atkinson stepped down as the leader of Fairmont's football program Wednesday. He plans to discuss the decision with his team on Thursday. | File Photo
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FAIRMONT — James Atkinson, Fairmont High’s head football coach, resigned Wednesday following a tumultuous 4-7 first season that included the program’s first-ever postseason ban for fighting.

The Golden Tornadoes saw their streak of three consecutive Three Rivers Conference championships end and were fined $1,000 by the NCHSAA after four players were ejected in the fourth quarter of a loss to Lake View, S.C.

Atkinson, a rookie head coach with previous stops on football staffs at Lexington and Kannapolis, intends on meeting with his team today and informing them of his decision before publicly commenting on what spurned the announcement.

Atkinson submitted his letter of resignation to school personnel Wednesday morning. Atkinson was hired in April to replace Keith Wood, now an offensive assistant at Scotland High, after the Wilmington native quit in February following a 12-1 season in 2011.

"James is a nice guy and is someone who will excel in whatever he plans to do next," Public Schools of Robeson County Athletic Director Jason Suggs said. "I haven't really talked with him, but we've received his papers."
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Comments
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unc33
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December 07, 2012
I can appreciate your points, and it's unfortunate it has to be that way. I guess this is a learning experience for all parties involved; disappointing that financial support stops due to politics. Best of luck to Coach Atkinson, I believe he will be fine.
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tellit
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December 06, 2012
Any high school will tell you that they need gate money and a strong booster club. The fact is that for a long time kids have left our area going to Lumberton. When money was available to get new things for the team at fairmont we started getting some of those kids to stay. There are a lot of things to consider on our community. If things are not going well then not many come to games then the school doe not get the gate money. The booster club becomes less active and then you start a cycle that is not going to be able to support success. that is the problem as i for one in the community sees it. I understand your points but until the schools start getting enough money to run atheletic programs this will always be an issue. i am the first to say no politics but we all know they exist and that is unfortunate. But it is how it works.
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unc33
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December 06, 2012
I understand your points, and i'm sure you are nothing but supportive. My only point is that it's quite unfortunate that the "community support" vanished very quickly for Coach Atkinson, and that the players at Fairmont will have another coaching change to weather. The players are the ones who play on Friday nights, and the coaching staff is in charge to create a game plan to defeat their opponent. I understand your connection with community support and football, but I do not understand the correlation that "without this continued support, the program cannot be successful." Where's the faith in the players and the coaching? Like I said, no matter who has this job, things won't change. Good luck to Fairmont on their search.
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tellit
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December 06, 2012
My point, as a supporter of Coach Atkinson, is that others in the community are not supporting the program. This has to do with some things I was discussing. I have always supported the school in many different ways. However, it takes more than a handful to be successful. Whether anyone likes it or not the fact remains that community and there support is an integral part of the program as well. It is like that at all levels. Without this continued support the program cannot be successful. You have to realize that it takes a lot of money for football. Thats just part of it.
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Mallard44
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December 05, 2012
I respect the fact that you are a booster; you are an integral building block of the support system upon which coaches and student athletes rely. Have you considered, though, the fact that he was in his first year of head coaching? How naive it is to assume that a first year head coach will not make any mistakes. I understand your concerns and am certainly not discounting them. I am simply expressing my opinion and offering another perspective. Good luck.
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unc33
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December 03, 2012
This is further justifying my opinion, and I agree with Mallard44, the student athletes are the ones suffering due to political influences. Your job as a booster is not to grade a coaches performance or decision-making. Your job is to contribute financially, by way of fund-raisers etc; to an athletic program.
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tellit
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December 02, 2012
You do not know what you are talking about. I am a FHS booster and supported the new coach at his golf tournament. When I went up to meet him for the first time he simply spoke to me and then turned around and went about his conversation with another coach. No time for me or others. I tried to move on past this then as the season progressed things blew up real quick. THen came Senior night where he never even acknowledged the Seniors by staying in the locker room. I understand that practice was kind of hands off. He never came to the Booster Bonanza or anything else. Rarely came to Booster club meetings and would never call anyone back. SO you can say what you want but this was not a good thing for FHS and I am glad he has moved on. Ask the players their thoughts and see what you get back!!!!!!
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Mallard44
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November 30, 2012
It is all too easy to judge the content of an individual's character from a spectator's point of view. Without a community's support, a coach is doomed from the beginning. The people that suffer in the long run are the student athletes and that is extremely unfortunate. I echo unc33's sentiments. A coach must be allowed to do just that; coach.
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unc33
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November 30, 2012
It does not matter who the head coach is, if the coach is not allowed to do his job, this will continue. Too many chiefs, not enough indians.
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unc33
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November 30, 2012
When a coach cannot do his job without political interference, results will be the same regardless of who is head coach.
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lkgranny0220
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November 29, 2012
Yes Virginia there is a Santa Clause. Not saying that what we get to replace him will be any better, but he can't be any worse. He was a bad experiance for FHS. Just glad it's over with.
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