By STEPHEN MONAHAN
Sports Editor
Within the next week, the Gainesville Leopards hopefully will have a new head football coach and athletic director.
The list of 56 applicants for the opening have been reduced to five finalists, according to school officials.
“I interviewed two coaches on Friday,” Gainesville Superintendent Bill Gravitt said. “I’m interviewing two today and one this Friday.”
School officials declined identifying who the five candidates are for the position.
After the last interview this Friday, the hope is that a new coach and athletic director will be announced at the next school board meeting.
“I would like to get that done on Monday night at the board meeting,” Gravitt said.
At this time, Gravitt says he will not know who he will recommend hiring at the board meeting next week.
“No one has been offered the job,” the superintendent said. “The one Friday will make a big difference. I’ll probably have it down to two by this Friday.”
The person heading the GHS football coaching job takes over for former coach Ricky Lock who left for Gonzales ISD last month.
The Gainesville Leopards were 5-5 in 2009, including a 1-4 record in District 9-3A.
New district alignments by the University Interscholastic League put GHS in the same field as Pilot Point, Aubrey, Argyle, Sanger and Whitesboro.
The next GISD school board meeting is slated for 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15.
