The El Dorado School Board held a special-called meeting tonight and voted unanimously to hire Chris Hill as the new head football coach for El Dorado Schools.
Hill brings a vast array of knowledge to El Dorado, including high school, college, and out-of-state coaching experiences. Over the course of his 20+ year career, Hill has been named All-Star Coaching Staff (4 years), All-Star Coach Nominee (4 years), Coach of the Year (5 years), Coach of the Year Finalist (4 years), and received 11 different Coach of the Year titles. As a high school head coach, his teams advanced to the postseason in 12 different seasons, including 4 Conference Championships, 3 Conference Runner-Ups, and 2 State Runner-Ups. As the Offensive Coordinator at Harding University (DII), the team reached the playoffs all three seasons, led the nation in rushing for one year, and was second in the nation for 2 years. In addition to his football accomplishments, Hill has 8 Powerlifting State Championships under his belt.
Aside from the knowledge and experience he encompasses, Hill believes that the success of a program relies on self-control, discipline, and camaraderie. “We can only control our team. We can’t control our opponent, but we can control our work ethic, our attitude, our effort, our encouragement, and our discipline. If we take care of ourselves, the scoreboard will take care of itself.” He intends to foster an environment that will create a dynasty of men, allowing each player to reach his maximum potential both academically and athletically while creating personal and long-lasting relationships with the team and staff. “We will encourage each other, build each other up, and hold each other accountable. We want to celebrate our team and teammate’s successes,” Hill added.
“I think El Dorado is one of the premier jobs in the state, and I’m thrilled about the opportunity. The rich tradition of Wildcat football, outstanding community support, and awesome facilities make it a great place to live and work. I look forward to meeting the student-athletes, faculty, and staff and being part of the El Dorado community,” Hill commented.
He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Harding University. Hill also received a Master’s in Educational Leadership from HU in 2005. Originally from Morrilton, AR, Hill has been married to his wife, Elaine, for 29 years. They have two daughters, Tristen (26) and Jaden (24).
“We are excited to have Coach Chris Hill join our staff as the head football coach. Coach Hill brings many years of experience at the high school and college levels. His work habits show in the number of accolades he has received during his career. Everyone we talked to about Coach Hill said the same thing, that his strong faith and moral character will be evident in his love for kids,” Athletic Director Phillip Lansdell said.
The search for a new head coach began on November 28, after the resignation of Coach Steven Jones, who took a position with Ideal Construction Company. The El Dorado School District put together a committee of AD Phillip Lansdell, Superintendent Jim Tucker, and community members John Thomas Sheppard, a former Wildcat football player, and Clark Smith, a football official and parent of former Wildcat players, to meet with the top 10 candidates throughout Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, and Georgia who inquired about the position.
The committee narrowed the list of 10 down to 3 top candidates and formed a panel to conduct interviews. The interview panel consisted of School Board member Vicky Dobson, Assistant Superintendent Melissa Powell, EHS Principal Sherry Hill, community members John Thomas Sheppard and Clark Smith, Athletic Director Phillip Lansdell, and Superintendent Jim Tucker. After completion of the interviews, a unanimous decision was made to recommend to the El Dorado School Board Chris Hill, head football coach at Sylvan Hills High School to be the new head football coach at El Dorado High School.
“We talked to coaches at both the high school and college level from Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Mississippi, as well as Arkansas, and we felt like Coach Hill was the best fit for our program and community, ”Lansdell added.
Superintendent Jim Tucker said, “We are thrilled to have Chris Hill as our head football coach. We are confident he will carry on the winning tradition that El Dorado Football has established, as well as build his players into young men of character.”