Rock Hill High School names new head football coach

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A familiar face is taking over the Rock Hill High School football program.

The school named Leon Boulware as the new coach during a ceremony Wednesday morning.

He most recently served as athletic director of Lugoff-Elgin High School, which is about 30 minutes northeast of Columbia.

Boulware graduated from Rock Hill High and said he is committed to challenging the players to be their best.

“It means a lot to be in the same building gym around the same teammates and former coaches,” Boulware said. “It’s a surreal moment.”

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Boulware is replacing Randy Birch, who was with the school for just one season.

Rock Hill Schools announced Birch would not return this fall.

His departure came three days after the release of a disturbing video that showed Rock Hill School students stuffing another child inside a trash can.

Parent Brad Basselman told Channel 9 reporter Tina Terry he feels that adults bringing their own agendas into a child’s game destroyed the program.

“The damage has been done. I do think it’s a great loss to the community losing Burch. I wish him the best, but what’s done is done, and it’s time to move forward,” parent Brad Basselman said. “It’s going to be a tall task to have these kids buy back into a program that was essentially destroyed.”

Boulware hopes to build more than just a football team.

“I don’t believe in a team; I believe in a family. So, we’re going to create a family atmosphere,” Boulware said. “With all our players, our parents, and our community.”

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