[Sly Fox]

Landis resigns as E.C. Glass football coach

By Nathan Warters
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 30, 2006

After six years of both coaching football and teaching algebra at E.C. Glass High School, Ed Landis has decided to do just one.

And now the Hilltoppers are looking for a new football coach.

"I just felt like that after six years, I was stretching myself thin and feel that I needed to devote more time to the other," Landis said Thursday night.

Landis informed his players of his decision to step down as E.C. Glass's head coach on Thursday, a day after the team's season-ending banquet.

"Trying to coach the varsity football team was too great on him personally, and he felt that he couldn't do both," E.C. Glass director of athletics Chip Berry said.

Landis, 47, said he plans to continue teaching at E.C. Glass next year, but he hopes to pursue coaching again in the near future.

"I'm just keeping all my options open, really," said Landis, an E.C. Glass graduate. "I hope to continue to coach and coach until I retire."

In the meantime, a respite from coaching will allow Landis more time to spend with his three children.

His daughter Heather is a senior at Liberty University; his son Joshua is a junior at Heritage High School and his youngest son Brennan is a seventh-grader at Sandusky Middle School.

"I'd like to be involved in more of their activities," Landis said.

Landis' tenure at E.C. Glass was marked by an upgrade in facilities - including a state-of-the-art weight room - and an increase in participation by the student population.

He helped create a freshman team, and he led the Hilltoppers' varsity squad to its first Group AAA, Division 5 playoff appearance in more than six years last season.

"I think we've done quite a bit there at Glass," Landis said.

Landis coached the Hilltoppers for six seasons, compiling a 28-33 record.

He led E.C. Glass to its first playoff win in 10 years last season when it beat Brooke Point 17-14 in the Northwest Region semifinals.

The team didn't return to the playoffs this season, falling to 3-7, 1-3 Western Valley District.

Landis, who previously coached at Jefferson Forest for four years, led E.C. Glass to winning records in 2003 (6-4), 2004 (6-4) and 2005 (7-5).

"He certainly did a good job for us," Berry said. "Not just coaching. He's a Glass grad. He did so much for the program. ? We were sorry to hear (about his resignation)."

As for Landis' replacement, Berry said he doesn't have a specific successor in mind right now and that the job will be open to outside candidates.

Landis said he'd help in the coaching search if E.C. Glass wants.

"I think it's an attractive sell," he said.

http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Sate ... th=!sports

[Brokeback Flamer]

Can you say "Don't let the door hit you on the way out" The quote "I hope to get back into coaching soon" tells the WHOLE story.
Good egg., he will land on his feet

[Fumblerooskies]

Ever since I moved here, I have been amazed at how two schools, pulling from simliar clientel, have such different success in athletics. Even though Glass competes in the WVD, they never seem to be up to snuff with Heritage except in sports such as tennis and golf.

[Purple Haize]

Well that is a very good point, but explainable. For starters, most of the city administrator's kids go to Heritage, ergo they tend to get the benefit of a few "extra's". The breakdown of students is also interesting. The "Best of the Best" go to Glass as do the "Worst of the Worse" Heritage has the nice middle ground in students. This works out for transportation issues etc. Also, Heritage does a better job with their "feeder" programs (Jr Hi) than does Glass. At Linkhorne there seems to be a whole lot more apathy with regards to sports than at Dunbar or (can't remember theother Middle school at moment that feeds Heritage) You also mentioned the Country Club sports, any wonder why Glass excels at those? They also do fairly well in T and F and CC.
AND OF COURSE THERE WAS A 4 YEAR STRECTH WHEN THEIR GIRLS TEAM WAS THE BOMB DIGGITY and OWNED the PIONEERs!!!! Not sure why that was!!

[bigsmooth]

it is cylical...glass used to be da bomb in football. i remember when allen iverson brought his bethel team to lynchburg to play glass in the state football finals..though bethel won, glass was a team that other schools in the state knew was a good team. bo henson was a quality coach. but indeed heritage is clearly a better hoops and football school recently.

[Purple Haize]

Well, that is sort of what I was hinting at with the "feeder" program comment. Look at how many coaches Glass has gone through, in ALL sports. That is a sign of a poor administration at the top. The new AD is a good one, but he isn't the reason for the decay.