WARE SHOALS — Christopher Dodson has done it all as an assistant.
He’s won a state championship, helping turn Chester High School around from a three-win team into a team that nearly reached the third round of the playoffs the following year. He’s won a state championship and coached two Mr. Football finalists.
Now, he is taking on a new role — head football coach and athletic director for Ware Shoals. Dodson was unanimously approved for his new roles on Monday at the District 51 school board meeting.
“I’m very excited,” Dodson said. “This is something that I’ve been working towards the last couple of years. I’ve had some personal goals that I wanted to attain as an assistant, and I’ve attained those the last couple of years. With my boy getting of age of going to school, I’ve been looking to try and find a place that fits me and my family.
“What I told the committee and what I told everyone in (the District 51 school board meeting) is I truly do want to find somewhere that I go and I start and finish when he walks the stage. That’s what my dream is.”
Dodson was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the past eight years at Chester, which finished second in its region this past season. Before 2015, Dodson was in Georgia coaching at Brunswick High School, helping the Pirates to a 36-30 record in those six seasons. He also spent time at Chester in 2006-07 and started his coaching career at Blacksburg in 2002
“Most of everything that I’ve learned the last 17 years, is a work ethic. You have to teach kids how to work,” Dodson said.
“(During meetings) you’re not only coaching football but during those sessions, if we’re meeting for an hour and a half, I’ll have a 20-minute session where we may learn how to tie a tie that day or press a shirt. We may go outside and change a tire. Have kids come in that I’ve coached that went on to college and whether they’re building houses, or I’ve got guys that are in the NFL that would be willing to talk to the guys in the offseason about what football taught them work-ethic wise.”
Dodson plans to build his program on five pillars — discipline, work ethic, toughness (both mental and physical), selflessness and integrity.
“Those five things will take you through life and teach you how to be a good husband and father,” Dodson said.
Since Chris Johnston took over as the Hornets’ head coach in 2019, they’ve been in a tight Wing-T offense focusing on methodically moving the ball downfield. Under Dodson, the Hornets will be in a new-look offense.
“From the outside looking in, we’re going to be spread, but we’re going to be a power spread,” Dodson said. “We’re going to line up four-wide with an H back or tight end depending on personnel. Our passing game will be a horizontal game instead of a vertical game. It’s just flipping it out to the athlete in space.”
Contact sports writer Cody Estremera at 864-943-2530.
