You can’t keep a good coach in the retirement pasture. Roe Burnsassumed a part-time, assistant football coaching job last year atEnterprise. Now he is a head football coach again after Mac Bezetstepped down.

Burns, 58, served as offensive coordinator last season. Bezet,60 at that time, directed the defense. Certainly, they made animpact on the football program. Several players quit the teambecause they didn’t want to pay the price, meaning offseasonpractices and summer weight training.

If you are unfamiliar with what it takes to be successful inathletics, it’s time for a wake-up call. You can’t skip practice,summer workouts and then show up on Friday nights expecting todefeat your opponent.

Unfortunately, losing is an acceptable way of life atEnterprise. According to a former Enterprise coach, the YellowJackets don’t expect to win much. Their fans expect less.

Instead, participation is a priority. As long as the player getsto play, it doesn’t matter what the final score is.

For sure, there are some folks at Enterprise who love to win andhate to lose. But the majority have learned to accept mediocrity.They are unwilling to go the extra mile.

Enterprise has a new field house and a weight training room.This should help jump-start the interest level, but Burns tackles adifficult challenge.

Once upon a time, high school football players could spend theirfree time fishing, swimming and hanging out with friends during thesummer. They might show up for preseason practice in early August.But if they didn’t, there was still a place on the roster whenschool finally started; if they were big enough or fast enough.

My, how times have changed. Most schools have an intenseoffseason conditioning program. Besides pumping iron, players runagility drills, do wind sprints and mile runs. They also run plays.This isn’t a hobby. The strict regimen is required by most headfootball coaches. Miss a few sessions and the truant is kicked offthe team.

Burns coached 20 years at Loyd Star and constructed achampionship program. It didn’t happen overnight. It took time,plus lots of dedication from the players and coaching staff.

Success breeds success. If a football team is successful, theentire school benefits from the positive results. It’s a rippleeffect, challenging other sports teams to be successful. Reportsshow that academics also improve when a football team is achievingsuccess.

Coaching changes in Lincoln Co.

There have been several coaching changes in Lincoln County thisspring. Also at Enterprise, boys basketball coach Ricky Gray hasaccepted a similar position at McComb Parklane Academy. Josh Basshas been named to replace Gray.

Kris Smith, head baseball and assistant football coach, has leftEnterprise. His successor is expected to be approved at the nextmeeting of the Lincoln County school board.

At Brookhaven High School, two young football coaches havejoined Coach Tucker Peavey’s staff. They are Mike Powell, offensiveline; and Dustin Lott, tight ends, offense.

Peavey’s Ole Brook Panthers went 14-1 last year, winning theClass 4A state championship. Last spring, Ole Brook offensivecoordinator Jaymie Palmer accepted a similar position at LafayetteCounty in Oxford, joining Anthony Hart’s new staff.

Hart left Franklin County after three seasons. Bulldog assistantGrady McCluskey was elevated to the top job.

In another shakeup, Loyd Star is coping with changes in itsfootball program. Wade Henderson lasted just one season beforetaking the defensive coordinator position at Petal, under BubbaDavis.

Loyd Star assistant Josh Thibodeaux was promoted. PrincipalWayne Rogers also will serve on the staff, coaching defense; alongwith Jonathan Breakfield and Randy Delaughter. Rogers coached onthe Gulf Coast before entering the administrative side of schoollife.

Delaughter, a volunteer assistant in 2003, helped Loyd Star go10-0, using a newly installed Wing-T offense. The Wing-T wasdropped last year and the Hornets struggled, due to injuries andmass player mutiny.

For sure, Loyd Star is turning over a new leaf. Preseasonfootball practice begins Aug. 1, a week later than the privateschools. Most folks are looking forward to the 2005 campaign.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O.BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com