When success in athletics is considered, particularly at the high school level, there are a whole lot of people who get credit before an administrator is considered. If an administrator is considered, it’s usually always a principal or assistant principal who supported a team or fought for funding. In the case of Columbia High School, it may be a little premature to acknowledge Superintendent Jason Harris — the Wildcats are yet to win an athletic state title during his still-short tenure after all — but he has definitely flipped the athletic department upside down and back again. Big-time results should be soon to follow.
Four years ago when he took the job, he talked about supporting the athletic programs and getting them where they should be. As an outsider who had only witnessed Columbia athletics for one year prior to Harris taking over, I didn’t expect a whole lot to change. From my first year alone, I honestly viewed Columbia as a baseball school with a basketball program on the rise. Boy was I wrong.
First, Harris went out and got Chip Bilderback from Perry Central. Three years later, Bilderback boasts a 33-6 record with back-to-back South State championship appearances. One of those six losses was a forfeit loss last season because of the Wildcats having to quarantine. Not only that, Bilderback has helped send more than 10 players to the next level, and the Wildcats may be returning the best team they have had yet under Bilderback and could top the eight-member signing class they had two years ago.
Then the administration, led by Harris, started the county’s only soccer program. Any new program takes time to build and it may take some time before the Wildcats are competitive on the state level in soccer, but the program has seen increased participation every year.
In the past year-plus, CHS athletics have seen a huge shakeup within its coaching staffs. The first change was Charlie James stepping down from being both the head coach for boys and girls basketball to just the head coach for girls basketball. CSD then brought in a former college head coach, Jordan Dupuy, which could end up being a huge coup over time.
Next, Bilderback was able to secure one of the most incredible hires I’ve seen since I’ve been in Marion County: Hiring Matt Kubik to be his offensive coordinator and associate head coach, replacing Craig Cluff, who got a head coaching gig. If you’re not aware of Kubik’s resume, he’s spent the past seven years as an offensive coordinator in college football with coordinator stops at Stephen F. Austin, ULM and, most recently, Southern Miss. For a high school to bring in someone like Kubik, with his history, as an assistant is huge. He’s going to be able to teach Columbia’s players advanced techniques and strategies that many high school coaches haven’t been exposed to.
Columbia’s latest two hires, head softball coach Jamie Powell and Director of Track Earnestine Dillon, were huge for their respective sports. In nine years at Wayne County, Powell made it to the state championship eight times! That’s seriously unprecedented sustained success. And Dillon has been a part of 10 team state championships in 12 years at Tylertown.
To be fair, Harris isn’t the lone person responsible for the home-run hires. Athletic Directors Loren Monk, Greg Owen and Bilderback deserve a lot of credit, too, but it wouldn’t be possible without Harris’ commitment to making Columbia athletics among the very best in the state. To get coaches of high quality like Columbia has, the school district has to be willing to pony up to bring in the best of the best.
While I’m honestly not sure of the financial commitments the district has made to bring in these coaches, one can only speculate that they didn’t come cheap. Another huge factor has been Harris and the district’s commitment to upgrading facilities, led by the brand new football stadium being built that will also affect band, soccer, track and more. The commitment to having great facilities is a big deal to coaches, but it’s also a big deal for players.
I wouldn’t be surprised that, over time, parents not only in Marion County but in the surrounding area will want to make it a point to live in Columbia’s district to take advantage of the great coaches and facilities. Athletics can play a big role in some families, and parents always want what’s best for their children.
To be clear, I don’t have a dog in this fight. I’m not from Marion County, don’t have children and have no rooting interest with any of the schools here. But it’s remarkable to me how much better off Columbia’s athletic programs are since Harris took over as superintendent. -
Joshua Campbell is managing/sports editor of The Columbian-Progress. Reach him via email at joshuacampbell@columbianprogress.com or call (601) 736-2611.
