Carlisle excited about opportunity

January 11, 2012

(Photo by Kim Murrell, SDN)

Danny Carlisle welcomes one more year of doing what he loves doing most and that's influencing young people.

Even though he has won over 500 games in his 27 seasons as the head baseball coach at Starkville High School, it has always been about teaching the players lessons that will benefit them later in life.

The Starkville School District granted Carlisle the chance to coach the 2012 season at Tuesday night's board meeting.

Carlisle enters his 28th and final season with much anticipation and gratitude.

"I thank the administration and school board for giving me the opportunity to finish out with this group because it's a good group," Carlisle said. "I'm excited about it. My deal is do it for the kids and make a difference with them in a positive way."

Effective on Friday, Carlisle will teach an advanced fitness class at SHS in the fourth block of the day, then will coach the Yellowjackets after school and through the season.

Starkville athletic director Stan Miller was glad to see the situation work out like it has so the school can move forward in honoring Carlisle and get the process moving in finding his successor.

"This is the plan I wanted to implement," Miller said. "In the month of February, we'll begin advertising for a new baseball coach for the 2013 season.

"We'll do something down the road (in honoring Carlisle) and I have some tentative plans. We'll know more about that as we move along."

Upon learning the news, there have already been some positive feedback sent Carlisle's way.

"I had several former players who saw it, contacted me (Wednesday) morning and offered congratulations and said that it was great news," Carlisle said.