NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Philip Haywood, Kentucky’s all-time winningest high school football coach, died Wednesday at University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington. He was 73.
Belfry athletics director Matt Varney confirmed Haywood’s death, which came four days after the coach suffered multiple injuries during an automobile accident in Pike County.
“He was a pillar of our community,” Varney said. “Belfry doesn’t have a mayor, but if we did he would be it. … You think of Belfry, you think of Philip Haywood.”
Haywood posted a career record of 491-160 in 50 seasons as a head coach, ranking fifth nationally in victories according to the National Federation of State High School Associations record book.
Belfry head coach Philip Haywood roamed the sidelines as his team took on DeSales in the Class 3A state semifinal game. Nov. 29, 2019
Campbellsville football coach Dale Estes, president of the Kentucky Football Coaches Association, called Haywood “a great football coach and an even better man.”
“He was eager to help the young coaches,” Estes said. “He was willing to sit down with me and tell me whatever it was I wanted to know. That speaks to who he was.”
Haywood was the head coach at Prestonsburg, his alma mater, for nine seasons (1975-83) before taking over at Belfry in 1984. He led Belfry to 14 state championship games, posting an 8-6 record.
Haywood’s 2024 Belfry team finished 11-3 after falling to Union County in the Class 3A state semifinals. Haywood was named The Courier Journal’s High School Football Coach of the Year five times, most recently in 2016.
He was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2016.
“He had all the wins and all that, but he didn’t want it to be about him,” Varney said. “He would never talk about that. His…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/philip-haywood-longtime-belfry-football-230637677.html
Author : The Courier Journal
Publish date : 2025-01-22 23:06:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
