Gallia Academy eager to get back to winning ways with a new head coach
By: Lucy Schaefer
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GALLIPOLIS, Ohio (WOUB) – The Gallia Academy Blue Devils ended last season where they didn’t expect to be: near the bottom. With its worst year since 2016, the team ended with a 1-9 record, missing the playoffs
A start to a new season has proved hopeful for the Blue Devils; a hope that began in December when former assistant Dalton Jarrell was promoted to head coach.
Jarrell graduated from Gallia Academy in 2011 and began coaching in 2021. First with the junior high team and then, as an assistant with the high school.
The first-year head coach described discipline as a main problem from last season.
That’s something early on I tried to clean up,” Jarrell said. “My assistants and I, we’ve worked very hard on trying to instill discipline, respect and hard work in these guys”
Another former Blue Devil has joined Gallia Academy’s coaching staff: 2024 graduate and former linebacker Cole Hines. He says based on his own experience with the team, a “want to win” mentality will help flip the record back to a winning one.
“You have to strive to give your best effort, every day, every rep.” Hines said. “You have to strive to get to that perfection level. Because that’s what we expect as coaches, is to win.”
Hard work in the offseason has turned into high expectations for the Blue Devils. Senior Receiver Parker Burris explained the pressure, and how it starts with silencing that noise.
“Winning one game last year, it sucks. You’ve got people telling you that we’re not going to do good this year. But we’re just going to keep our head down and keep grinding,” Burris said.
Gallia Academy will kick off the 2025 season hosting Boyd County on August 22nd.