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Coach Rance Gillespie addresses his team postgame during the 2019 season.
Rance Gillespie is stepping down as athletic director and head football coach at Hart County High School and defensive coordinator Cory Dickerson was named the 17th head football coach.
Gillespie made his intentions official at a press conference Wednesday morning at the school.
Gillespie took over the job of head coach in December 2016 after William DeVane retired the month prior. Gillespie was 27-28 in his four years as head coach.
“I looked out the window this morning and I saw how far we’ve come. I remember the first day I sat in the office and looked out that window at that group of boys and where they were. I looked out this morning about 20 minutes ago and I am so proud of the accomplishments that we have made here,” Gillespie said. “It’s been easy because from day one this group of kids has bought in. This group has worked hard and I think that is a reflection on this community which I have grown to love.”
Gillespie said he has accepted an offer to be the head football coach and athletic director at Brookstone School, a private college preparatory school in Columbus.
“I am appreciative of my time here,” Gillespie said. “I look forward to keeping up with Hart County and I will always be a Bulldog fan.”
Dickerson has worked under Gillespie as defensive coordinator for the past four years and is excited to take over the head job.
“This was a seed planted in my heart long ago. A dream of mine. I feel truly blessed to be standing here,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson graduated from Stephens County High School and Presbyterian College. He has been coaching for 15 years with stops at West Hall, Sandy Creek, Gainesville, South Gwinnett and Jefferson.
“I’ve been at a lot of school and the leadership here is second to none,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson said his parents were graduates of Hart County High School. His father graduated in 1964 and played for Coach Bill Saye. His mother graduated in 1965 and won Miss Bulldog while in school. Dickerson said he frequently visited Hart County growing up.
“I knew Hartwell and Hart County was a special place. From the outside in, you look at the lake, you look at downtown, you look at the school, you look at the beautiful countryside. That’s what a lot of people think makes this place special but when you live here you find out it’s the people,” Dickerson said. “It’s the people who make this community special. We have been happy to call this place home for five years and we look forward to calling it home for a whole lot longer.”
Dickerson said the reason he coaches is for the kids.
“The goal here is to transform the lives of young men through the game of football or through athletics. We do that by helping them reach their full potential,” Dickerson said. “We want to be champions on the field and we want to be champions off the field. We want to be champions in the classroom. We want to be champions in the community and we are going to work each day to put a product on the field that this community can be proud of and that represents this community well.”