BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Keystone Heights High School Head Football Coach Steve Reynolds announced his resignation as he plans to pursue a career in financial services.
Reynolds served as an assistant coach for three seasons before becoming head coach in 2023 after Athletic Director Chuck Dickinston retired from coaching. Dickinson had been the head coach for 24 years.
In three seasons at the helm, Reynolds had a record of 8-23 with one playoff appearance.
“Honestly, I was kind of seeing myself as a transitional coach anyway from Coach Dickinson to whoever is next,” Reynolds said. “I’ve loved being an assistant coach at Keystone. I’ve loved being the head coach at Keystone. I’ve loved coaching weightlifting.
“I’m 40. If I’m every going to make this career change I’ve been trying to look into for some time now, I feel like now is the best time to do that and give somebody an opportunity to come in and work with some really hard-working, great, young kids at Keystone.”
Reynolds, a 2004 Bradford High School graduate, almost never went to KHHS after head-coaching positions at Bradford and Oakleaf and assistant positions at Bradford, Oakleaf, Buchholz and St. Johns Country Day. He was looking at making a career change before the covid pandemic in 2020.
“With the shutdown and everything, I got kind of worried about what the business world would look like,” Reynolds said. “I decided to stay in education.”
He saw that KHHS was advertising for a P.E. coach, so he decided to apply. It was a perfect situation since he and his family live in Keystone.
That was the start of an enjoyable time in his life, which made his decision to change careers difficult.
“Really, it was my experience with the schools here in town and with the kids I got to coach over these six years that’s kind of kept me in it,” Reynolds said. “I just feel like right now is a good time to get back to making that career change we were looking into. I’m real excited.”
Reynolds said he won’t help coach boys weightlifting this year, but added that he’s available to help the boys and girls programs in any way he can if needed.
As of now, Reynolds will continue working as the school’s dean of students.
“My plan is to stay in that role until all my licensing is done,” he said. “I have a lot of studying to do. I’ve got some shadowing to do.”
Though he’ll no longer be a coach, he’ll still be coaching in a way, saying in his new career he’ll still be building relationships and trust with people.
“It’s just a slightly different avenue in doing it,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said the next coach will find a supportive community and “hard-working kids and athletes who are enjoyable to be around.”
“Ultimately, that is a reason why it was so enjoyable for me to stay,” Reynolds said. “The players have been really good to work with.”
He’ll miss being around the kids, which is why he won’t emphatically say he’s done with coaching forever.
“I’ve enjoyed 18 years of coaching and teaching,” Reynolds said. “I’ve enjoyed a good portion of everywhere I’ve been.
“It was not an easy decision, but one I think I’ve been ready for and that I think will be the best for my family going forward.”
