Coming back to Lexington

It was at a time in my life where I felt like family, especially my stepfather, needed us to be here and we’re excited to maximize our time with them.”

New Lexington High School head football coach and athletics director Dustin Curtis

Aside from the new gymnasium built well after Dustin Curtis’ 2001 graduation, it was just like old times at Lexington High School.

“This is home,” he said during a press conference introducing him as the school’s new football coach and athletics director. 

Whether reminiscing about playing under head coach Jimmy Satterfield while revisiting the athletic facilities or getting reacquainted with family and friends, coming back to Lexington was more than just about taking care of business on the field.

For Curtis, this homecoming was the fulfillment of a dream he and his wife, Jessica, had for years, even while enjoying success during his one season at Dorman High School in the Upstate and, prior to that, at A.C. Flora in Columbia, where he won the 2000 Class 4A title.

“This was the hardest professional decision that I’ve ever faced because Dorman did so much for me in a year,” Curtis said. “They’re so extremely supportive. Their standard of excellence is really high and, obviously, when you’re in a one-high-school district, they want everything that they do to be about making Dorman great. They do an awesome job of that, Dr. Owens on down.

“The people there is what made it difficult. But ultimately, Jessica and I together, just knew in our hearts that this was a door that God was opening. It was at a time in my life where I felt like family, especially my stepfather, needed us to be here and we’re excited to maximize our time with them. I’ve got cousins that live in Gilbert that graduated from here, too. It’s just good to be home and beside family.”

Curtis takes over a Lexington program that posted a 38-25 record in six seasons under Perry Woolbright, who’s now at Clover. The Wildcats were 17-6 the past two seasons, finishing second each year to Dutch Fork. 

Ironically, this will mark the second straight year Curtis will compete in the same region as a defending Class 5A champion. In fact, his final game with the Cavaliers came in a playoff loss to the Silver Foxes. 

Jokingly asking if seven-time state champion head coach Tom Knotts was still at Dutch Fork, Curtis said he understands aspiring to the Silver Foxes’ level of success is a goal for his program. Despite losing skilled players on the offensive line to graduation, having an experienced quarterback who exudes leadership and can help win close games like Taiden Mines “is a huge deal,” Curtis said. 

“I know that there’s already kids here that want to compete, that want to win and that want to be physical, and they want to play tough football and that’s what it takes to be successful in the playoffs.” 

Along with coaching, there’s the challenge of overseeing an athletics program. Curtis said he hopes the lessons learned from working at an expansive school like Dorman will serve him well in Lexington. 

“He is a leader and he has demonstrated a vision for Lexington High School which speaks to honoring the traditions of 112 years of folks that have come through here like himself and the future students that will come through as well as seizing the moment for the students that are here now,” Principal Ryan Poole said.

Curtis begins work for the school March 7.