Rodney Parker new Cougar baseball head coach
It’s a dream come true for Rodney Parker. A week ago, he was an assistant principal, athletic director, golf coach and assistant baseball coach at Creek Wood High School.
This week he is the new baseball head coach at Dickson County High, his alma mater. He’s also looking forward to returning to being a teacher.
“I made a family decision a few weeks back to try and remove myself from the administrative world,” Coach Parker told The Herald. “It’s just simply the hours.”
He went on to explain that he was missing time he could spend with his family, his wife and young daughter and wanted a schedule that would allow him that opportunity.
“And it just so happened that I looked online and the head baseball coaching position was open at Dickson County High School. I put in an application and had an interview, pretty rapidly and I’d like to thank (DCHS principal) Doug Phillips for choosing me to be the next head baseball coach at Dickson County High school.”
Parker also wanted to thank the Dickson County School Board administration for their support in the decision.
Dream Job
“Honestly, it’s like a dream come true to get your first high school head coaching position at your alma mater. I got a lot of Cougar pride in me, always have,” the coach said. “I guess when you graduate and love a place like I did, that never leaves you.”
Parker added that he’s developed equally strong feelings for Creek Wood High School over the last decade that he’s been at CW.
“I’ll take a lot of what I’ve learned from here to Dickson County…it’s just been a pleasurable experience,” the coach said. “I’ve got to thank Janie Jones (former CWHS principal) for hiring me. It’s funny how my position has evolved. When I first started, all I did was discipline from eight until the closing bell.
“And I came here for one reason and that was to help (head coach) Chris Clapper coach baseball. I didn’t care what I had to do…all I wanted to do was help him coach and he was blessed enough to give me an opportunity to be his assistant for a decade, and I’ll never regret a second of it.”
Of course like any job, Coach Parker saw his continuously grow and change, becoming an assistant athletic director, then full time athletic director – his master’s degree is in sports administration. But he had more hats headed his way – graduation coach and service learning supervisor, as he saw his discipline duties trim down.
“It’s just boiled down to hours. If I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it hopefully the right way…with a lot of energy and a lot of passion.”
Good Friends
One thing he will certainly miss will be the Creek Wood High baseball coaches he spent the last ten years working with. The Red Hawks had a big 2014 season for Parker to go out on – undefeated in 11-2A through the regular season (16-0) and finishing with a 25-11 overall record.
“There’s a kinship and friendship that a lot of people don’t realize that I have with Chuck Daniel and Chris Clapper. We’ve played little league ball together,” Coach Parker said. “We went to high school together. We were teammates in high school. We attended each other’s weddings, there when kids were born…I love those guys like brothers.”
Dickson County High fans can expect to see that same level of dedication to the sport and his new team. Coach Parker had his first team meeting last week with the Cougars and has already scheduled some spring practices this week. He plans on starting a summer baseball schedule on May 27.
“We’re just going to take and learn the game and individually work to be a better player,” the coach said. Parker has been coaching baseball for 24 years.
Coach Parkers history with the sport of baseball: played at DCHS, for Coach Shelby Rye, graduated in 1987; signed to play for Roane State Community College and played two years; signed with University of Tennessee at Martin – he suffered an injury that summer.
He ended up going to Austin Peay State University and walked on with their program and finished his college career as a Division 1 outfielder. Parker went on to be a student and graduate assistant coach (92-93) at APSU.
He then went on to be hired at then Charlotte Junior High to teach wellness and would eventually start middle school baseball at CMS as the program’s head coach.
Cougar Baseball Tryouts
The Dickson County High baseball team will hold tryouts this Thursday, May 22 and Friday, May 23 at the DCHS baseball fieldhouse, 4 - 6 p.m. Contact Coach Parker for info. 615-969-2479.