2009

in overtime and that showed character within our team and we've got sev- WEEK era! of those players back , this season. So they know in

ECCC names Anderson interim head coach from school reports DECATL'R- Brian Anderson has been named interim head football coach at East Central Community College in Decatur, announced Dr. Phil A. Sutphin, college president. "We are pleased to have someone on staff such as coach Anderson to assume the interim position," said Dr. Sutphin. "His background will serve him and the team well over the next sev– eral months." Anderson, 36, who led theWar- rior program for one year and is a former assistant, underwent suc– cessful surgery for prostate cancer on June 22 but the long– time coach said he did not think he "could give East Central and the young men what is needed" going into the upcoming season. The 52-year-old Cheatham, who has 28 years coaching expe– rience in the state system and 31 years overall, will continue to coach but on a different level. He will serve as physical education instructor for grades K-8 at Cone– hatta Elementary School, a divi– sion of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Anderson, who served the past ye.:_ ' Ch athaJ?'s offensive 50''-' •D. "It's a great oppor tunity, it's a privilege and it's an honor to serve as head football coach at East Central Community College," Anderson said after addressing team members in a Sunday night meeting in the Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building. "Being head coach is something I had in the back of my mind when I came here. The timing of the matter was a little off from what I thought it would be- I thought it would be several years - but at thP C:'!lrnP tin"\a it'"' co.ru·..,"+-~;...__ 4-1- .... t- was named to the post less than a week fol– lowing the resig– nation of Steve Cheatham, who stepped down due mainly to health reasons. Cheatham, Anderson

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the back of their minds they are capable of playing with anybody in the state." East Central finished 2008 with a 4·5 overall record and 3-3 slate in the MACJC South Division. Anderson said getting better players to come to EC was a top priority of coach Cheatham and staff members. "We've gone out and recruited some players that have great motors ....they play extremely hard and they play extremely fast," he noted. "We've recruited some guys with state cham– pionship experience and some who were members of teams that were ranked among the top in the nation. So we have recruited some guys that understand what it takes to be a winner....the price you have to pay in order to win." Although pleased with the recruiting class, Anderson said "you never know" about how players develop until everyone reports to camp in August. "We have a good group of kids on campus for second-semester summer school and voluntary work– outs, "Anderson said. "And that's one of our goals to get a bigger group in during the summer, working out and staying in condition. We've addressed that issue and it's getting better, although it is not where we want it to be." Approximately 50 team members arrived Sunday to begin classes and voluntary workouts. All players are scheduled to report to campus on Au!.!. 6 to -.tart traJnmg ca:mrc TI1e \\ arrior begin lhe

2009 campaign by battling non-division opponent Coa– homa Community College on Aug. 27. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Bailey Sta- JESHO dium on the Decatur campus. NEWTC Assisting Anderson will be returning staff members WINSH James Miller, Kyle Watson, Fredrick Lyons and Derek CLARIC Pouncey. Anderson will soon add another assistant coach to complete his staff.