Talking Today with Coach Chuck Doak, head football coach at Southwest Guilford High School(An overview/outlook on the Upcoming HS Football Season)

A few questions for Coach Chuck Doak, the new head football coach at Southwest Guilford HS…

1)What has your team been up to, during the time since school let out, back on June 10? What 7 on 7’s have your Cowboys participated in, and how has that gone for you? I think I saw that you guys were at the FCA 7 on 7, at West Forsyth…
Coach Doak:We have been doing morning workouts Monday-Thursday and some 7on7. We did the FCA at West Forsyth, competed against Asheboro at their place and most recently finished runner-up at the Averett ‘Battle of the Borders’. The guys competed well and worked hard and we are looking good for the season.

2)What has the transition been like for you, going from being the SWG defensive coordinator a few years back, to being the head man now, and calling all of the shots?
Coach Doak:There really hasn’t been much of a transition as far as the team is concerned. Almost all the upperclassmen know me from my time as defensive coordinator so they know what I expect. The first thing I did is remove myself from the play calling and appointed Michael Caldwell our new offensive coordinator and Derek Anderson will remain the defensive coordinator. I have taken it upon myself to manage the team, coordinators, and parents to keep things running smoothly.

3)Have you settled on who your top QB will be, and will that be Jaden Rogers?
Coach Doak:As far as the QB situation, we had a young man transfer and he looks good in our new scheme. Jaden has had some success this summer, MVP at Averett, but I am not ready to make that call yet. There is still summer left and that means there are opportunities to compete.

4)How will the team philosophy change under your leadership, as opposed to how the team was run when Coach Eric Rainey was in charge, and will there be substantial changes?
Coach Doak:The team philosophy will not change dramatically but the process will. I am an inclusive coach and want my athletes to be part of everything. So instead of sending someone home for being late, we will have reflection time(running) after practice as a team for example. I have also implemented mandatory tutoring on Tuesday when we are in school. We will delay practice for one hour and every young man that is part of the team will escorted to tutoring. Hopefully they will eventually accept it and make it happen on their own. Coach Rainey did a fantastic job building the foundation here and it is my job to finish the castle. I am about building young men to be positive productive members of their own lives so we focus on the decisions they are making and look at how their choices effect the outcomes in their and other’s lives.

5)What are some of the things you like about being there on, “The Ranch”, at Southwest Guilford High School?
Coach Doak:I like the students at Southwest. I like the teachers and the administration at Southwest, it feels like family to me. My father was known as “Cowboy” my entire life, and all I ever wanted as a child was to be a Cowboy, and now I am. It feels like part of a greater plan

6)Along with 7 on 7’s, what other things is your team doing to get ready for the upcoming season? What are the BIG MEN up to, like the offensive and defensive linemen, are they going to any BIG MAN Camps?
Coach Doak:We are working hard in the weight room especially for our big men. We have several young men that are going to camps and getting invites to attend prospect camps, so they are having a very busy summer.

7)Does your team as a whole, go to any special or specific football camps, over the Summer?
Coach Doak:We will not do a team camp this year but I would like to build one into the budget over the next couple of years. Money is tight so we will do an overnight at Southwest where we will practice 6-8:30 come into the building, eat dinner, team building activities, sleep and get the next morning at 6:30 eat breakfast, and have another practice.

8)What will the team be doing during the 4th of July Week? I think the 7 on 7’s will die down that week, but is there a total stopage of football work by your kids that week, is it a total, “Dead Period”?
Coach Doak:The week of the 4th is a dead period.

9)Who will be the favorite in the Piedmont Triad 3-A Conference this upcoming season, is it the Dudley Panthers out there in front, and the rest of the league, in hot pursuit?
Coach Doak:You know I have to say we are out front in the conference race. I know we have speed and some very talented young people that just want to win. Dudley is Dudley and defensively they are going to be good but they put their pants on just like we do. We are playing East Forsyth the second week of the season(a game I scheduled) and that should be a good test of where we are. If you are going to be the best you have to beat the best, and that is our intention. Anyone, anytime, anywhere.

10)In order for Southwest Guilford to be successful in 2019, the SWG Cowboys have to do what????? How do you, and how will you, measure team success?
Coach Doak:Right now Southwest has to develop its leadership and accept its responsibility of being a top tier team. We are still digging out of the shadow of the old Southwest and it is time for our players to act like they are a top team and accept everyone is gunning for you and accept the challenge and WIN.

**********Thanks to Coach Chuck Doak, head football coach at Southwest Guilford High School, for taking the time to answer our questions.**********