News from Nov. 20, 2007:

Players stunned, saddened by Proctor's departure

STRASBURG — Speaking over the school's intercom during second block on Monday, Mike Dorman, Strasburg High School's principal, called the football players to meet coach Glenn Proctor in the locker room.

The call initiated an unforeseen farewell to an unassuming group.

With almost the entire team gathering just before lunch as they would before a practice or a game, Proctor, instead of dispatching orders, forging future gameplans or offering one of his many life lessons, emotionally told his team that after 44 seasons, he was stepping aside from his tenured position as the Rams' head football coach.

"He told us he loved us and he loved all his kids," junior Cody Pieratt said after school.

"He said he remembered his first team and since he remembers that, he'll never forget us. We were his last team, his 300th win. He told us it didn't have anything to do with us, it was just time for him to take it easy."

Said junior Timmy McCotter, "It was just really crazy, it was really emotional for everybody because he's been here for forty-some years and, you know, a football team without coach Proctor, it's hard to imagine; it would just change everything."

In a year that Proctor had achieved his milestone victory and finished the season 6-4, the players said the news came as a shock. According to McCotter, Proctor told the team he didn't think he could be as effective a head coach as he had in the past.

However, others believed the actions of players and distress of graduating seniors, finally, immersed the 66-year-old head man.

Overall, though, for the players involved, the mood of the moment was unsettling.

"He basically kind of broke down," senior Justin Shaw said of Proctor during the meeting. "[He] basically told us, the seniors, that we'd be walking out together."

"He taught me everything, he's like a dad to me, he's like a dad to all the players," Pieratt said. "He always told us that he wants to be more of a dad than a coach. He taught so much more than football."

Before leaving the locker room, the Rams huddled together and "broke it down" one last time for their coach, yelling, "1-2-3 Rams," before Proctor left with assistant coach Jeff Smoot.

Through most of the remaining school day, according to Pieratt, many of the players walked the hallways with confused expressions. For the first time in almost a half-century, Strasburg's returning players had to consider playing for somebody else.

"That's a big spot to take over," senior Calob Ritter said during basketball practice.

Proctor's successor will inherit a team that returns 31 lettermen next season who are well-versed in Proctor's football philosophies and methods that date back multiple generations.

"With coach Proctor we got used to a routine, it was a hard routine but everybody got used to it and just fought through it," McCotter said. "Getting used to a new coaching staff and new system is really hard to adjust to."

According to Ritter and Shaw, Proctor, in addition to his football prowess, would commonly provide the Rams with some comic relief. He said a moment he'd never forget was when Proctor danced with the team in celebration of a win this season.

The players could hardly speculate on who the Rams' next head coach would be, but hoped the athletic department would promote from within or, at least, find a local replacement.

"If we had any choice, [we'd] try to keep a coach from Strasburg that knows coach Proctor and how he played football and how he coached football," McCotter said. "Just so we could try and keep that same sense of pride and honor in Strasburg."

McCotter, who said Proctor rarely comes to a decision without thinking it through, knew that Monday's announcement was no different.

"I've always told players when they come in and want to quit, and tell me they want to quit, I always say, 'If you go on and quit, we'll miss you, but you'll miss us more,'" Proctor said Monday night.

"Today I had to reverse that role, because I said, 'Hey, you might miss me a little bit, but I'll miss you a whole lot.' That was hard, that was difficult, those last parting words."

* Contact Tim Tassa at ttassa@nvdaily.com

Who's next?

Jeff Smoot — Smoot is a Strasburg assistant football coach and also the head baseball coach. He's been with Proctor for many years and knows everything about running the program. "Those two have been together so long. Smoot knows coach Proctor's every move before he even makes it." Strasburg assistant football coach Brian Kibler said. Smoot guided the Rams baseball team to the Group A state championship earlier this year. He would be the most logical replacement.

Bill Hall — Hall graduated from Strasburg in 1992 and played under Proctor from 1988-91. Hall is currently the Sherando head football coach. This week the Warriors will host Park View in the Region II, Division 4 final. Hall has guided the Warriors to back-to-back undefeated regular seasons. Two years ago Hall led them to the Group AA, Division 4 state semifinals. "I don't really ever think about it," Hall said when asked about the possibility of coaching at Strasburg. "Nobody could ever really replace coach Proctor. I'm happy here at Sherando that is my first thought."

Mark Roller — Roller graduated from Strasburg in 1989 and played under Proctor from 1985-88. Roller was the starting quarterback on the Rams teams in 1987 and 1988 that adavanced all the way to the Group A state final. Roller is an assistant coach at Sherando under former Strasburg teammate Bill Hall. "I don't know about that," Roller said when asked about the possibiltiy of taking the Strasburg job. "I'm happy where I'm at. Right now the only thing I'm thinking about is our game against Park View this week. Whoever takes that job has pretty big shoes to fill."