Many coaches might be intimidated by the prospect of leading a program when that school barely has enough kids to fill its roster and hasn’t won a game since 2014. The former 6A District Four Player of the Year out of Fern Creek instead chose to see the potential in Shawnee and embraced the challenge of building a program the Golden Eagles can be proud of.
I’ve always wanted to coach at Shawnee,” said Harrington, who was also on the University of Louisville football team that won the Sugar Bowl in 2012. I wanted something I could lay the groundwork for and feel like it was something I accomplished. I wanted a challenge. Harrington certainly found one in Shawnee. The program is in the midst of a 55-game losing streak, the longest in the state. That kind of history will be tough to overcome, but Harrington isn’t burdened by what happened before him. He’s excited by the chance he and the coaching staff have to start something new. He’s encouraging his players to put the past behind them and focus their efforts towards getting better in the here and now.
We don’t really look at it as a negative,” he said. “We get to build something from the ground up. There’s no expectations for it. We don’t really focus on the past. Our whole goal is to get the kids to understand that the past doesn’t matter. We’re focused on today and moving forward. Everything that we do, we take a step forward everyday. Harrington wants to cultivate a program that’s based on good work ethic and accountability. He’s learned from other coaches, such as Fairdale’s Louis Dover and Doss’ Michael Crowe, that those elements serve as the foundation for a successful football team.
