GAINESVILLE -- Roger Parham guided Gainesville fastpitch to a huge turnaround in 2014, including a program record 17 wins in a season that saw the Lady Red Elephants take over a rehabbed facility on par with any in the state.
And now he's leaving.
The coach has accepted a position at Brookwood High in Gwinnett County, where he will assist the softball and baseball programs.
“It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down; it also gives me the opportunity to act as department head. Gwinnett County is my home, and I live just a few minutes from the school,” said Parham, who led the Lady Red Elephants to a 17-9 mark in 2014. “It was gratifying to see those girls work so hard and take pride and ownership in the program. There were so many people in involved in the success -- from David Presnell and Adrian Niles, who rebuilt our field, to (Gainesville High principal) LaCrisia Larkin and (athletic director) Wayne Vickery.”
Both Larkin and Vickery are leaving their positions within the school, however, and those factors, combined with Parham's move, leaves the future of the program in question.
“There are lot of changes going on at Gainesville... Wayne Vickery was a big reason I came to Gainesville,” Parham said. “But the people of Gainesville took me in and supported me. I’ve never been around people who care more about the success of their students -- from top to bottom. They really impressed me with how much they care.”
People were certainly impressed with the changes Parham helped bring about.
“He put us on stable ground and put a lot of pride back in the program; he’s going to be hard to replace,” said the outgoing Vickery. “Now we’ve got to take it to the next level.”
The search for who will lead that charge is currently in limbo, however, as the school waits to see who will fill its leadership positions.
