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WJ football coach picks up 100th career win
Photo courtesy of: @WJWildcats
Walter Johnson football celebrates Coach Larry Hurd Jr.’s career win 100, with a win over Springbrook High School, by a score of 50-10. The Wildcats look to continue their early season success against Richard Montgomery this Friday. Photo courtesy of WJ Athletics.
September 28, 2018
A hundred wins is no easy feat. Some of the greatest coaches in football history have never made it to 100 wins, and this is exactly what WJ football Coach Larry Hurd Jr. accomplished on Friday, Sept. 14, with a 50-10 victory over Springbrook High School.
Hurd Jr. is in his first year with the WJ football team. Before his stint at WJ he coached across the county, spending three years with Poolesville High School and most notably, 11 years with Clarksburg High School. Between these three schools he has racked up a whopping total of 100 wins.
“I coach because of the feeling you get when a group of players and coaches come together and strive to achieve the same goal. I coach to see the development of the players in the program as players, students, and young men,” Hurd Jr. said via The Gazette.
This philosophy has allowed Hurd Jr. to get to where he is today. He values teamwork and development which is a key aspect to the success of the team,which is a big reason why the Wildcats are off to one of their best starts currently sitting at 3-1 under his leadership. Many players seem grateful.
“In just a few months, Coach Hurd Jr. has turned us into a much smarter, more intuitive, and all around better football team, and I feel like he’s truly committed to making this program as great as it can be,” junior linebacker Declan Stablow said.
Hurd Jr. has a record of improving his players. In 2006, Clarksburg High School had just opened and a new football program had started. In his first year at Clarksburg, he had an abysmal 3-6 record, but with continued improvement he led Clarksburg to the 2A west regional championship, with a 12-1 record in the very next season. Overall, during his tenure at Clarksburg he found great success, finishing with a 67-48 record. WJ students are excited for what’s to come.
“It’s great that football has brought in such an experienced coach with a true winning mentality. The new coach has brought back the life of WJ football to a point where I have never seen it,” junior John Danco said.
Hurd Jr. has not only transformed his team, but also transformed his fans. He has created a hype around WJ football that has long been awaiting. The Wildcats look to give Hurd Jr. his 102nd win at Richard Montgomery tonight at 7 p.m.
