Hardin becomes River Bluff High athletic director/head football coach
December 23, 2016
LEXINGTON, SC – During the December 20, 2016 regular monthly meeting of the Lexington County School District One Board of Trustees, the board approved the hire of C. Blair Hardin as River Bluff High School athletic director and head football coach. His start date is yet to be determined.
From a nationwide search with more than 90 applicants, Hardin becomes the second athletic director and head football coach at River Bluff High School which opened in 2013. He replaces David Bennett, who was promoted earlier this year to the position of district Director of Athletics.
“We are thrilled to have Coach Hardin bring his energy, passion and knowledge of athletics and football to River Bluff,” commented Dr. Luke Clamp, RBHS principal.
For Hardin, coaching is a family affair. He is a second-generation coach from a football family. His dad, Bruce, had a long career as athletic director and head football coach until retirement. His twin brother, Justin, is an assistant coach at Charlotte Latin High School.
Hardin currently serves as assistant athletic director, head football coach and strength and conditioning coach at North Myrtle Beach High School in Horry County Schools, where his team won the Conference Championship and finished with a record of 11-2. He also teaches weight training classes.
At 34 years old, he brings 12 years of teaching and coaching experience, including nine years as head football coach, to RBHS. With an 82-34 record as head football coach, teams under his leadership won six conference titles and played for two state championships.
Hardin began his teaching and coaching career at Providence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2004. While there, he served as defensive coordinator and head strength and conditioning coach.
From there he traveled to Ardrey Kell High School, also in Charlotte, as media specialist before landing his first head coaching position in North Carolina’s Union county Public Schools at Porter Ridge High School in 2008.
Under his leadership, the Porter Ridge High School football team played for back-to-back state titles in Class 4A in 2011 and 2012. After five seasons, his overall record was 50-18.
Hardin joined Burke County Public Schools’ Freedom High School in Morganton, North Carolina, in 2013 and led that team to an 11-2 record before moving to South Carolina to join North Myrtle Beach High School in 2014.
Hardin holds an impressive number of awards including becoming the youngest coach to ever be chosen to coach a Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas team (North Carolina); Greater Hickory Area Coach of the Year in 2013; Union County Football Coach of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; Southern Carolina Conference Football Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2011; and South Charlotte Sports Report Coach of the Year in 2011.
A member of the American Football Coaches Association, the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association, Hardin holds a Bachelor of Science in sports management and administration from The Citadel, where he played on the football team for four years. He is certified to teach physical education in grades 6–12.
