Irmo High School Athletic Director, Football Coach Bob Hanna Resigns
May 4, 2014
IRMO, SC – May 4, 2014 – The trophies and awards prominently displayed in Bob Hanna’s office are telling of his long, decorated career as athletic director and head football coach at Irmo High School.
“It’s been a good run, but I’m ready to start a new chapter,” the long-serving 65-year old coach said.
School officials announced Hanna’s resignation on April 29. Hanna has been head football coach and athletic director at Irmo High School since 1994, helping the team become nine-time region champions and 3-time 4A state runners-up. Hanna is in this 43rd year as a high school football coach and 35th year as a head coach.
“I think 70 is old, and I’m 65 years-old now. So, I don’t have but that many more years,” Hanna said holding up five fingers. “I’m going to have fun. I’m moving to North Myrtle Beach. …This is something I had been thinking about for a while, and the closer I got to it the more enticing it became. I might regret it three months from now, but I don’t think so. It’s just time.”
With an overall record of 257-169-2, Hanna has earned many accolades over the years. In March, Hanna was presented with the South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association Class 4A Athletic Director of the Year award. He’s been named a five-time Midlands Area Coach of the Year and S.C. High School Sports Report State 4A Coach of the Year. Hanna also has coached the 1987 North Carolina East-West All Star game, the 1993 Shrine Bowl and 2002 North-South All Star game.
In addition to his achievements, school officials say Hanna has helped build a strong reputation for Irmo High athletics.
“Bob Hanna is an icon in South Carolina athletics and in the Irmo community,” said Irmo High Principal David Riegel. “Wherever you go in this state, people know who he is and respect his record and accomplishments. We can only hope that Bob’s replacement can live up to the standard he has set for excellence in athletics.”
There have been many changes over the years and recent construction upgrades have helped advance the athletics program at the Lexington-Richland District Five high school, Hanna said.
“Irmo High School has always had a reputation of being first class … now you look at the new facilities and it’s the way it ought to be. It’s first class and that’s what these kids deserve,” said Hanna. “We ask them to be the best, now they have an opportunity to play and practice on the best. That message is clear to them that if you’re going to be an athlete at Irmo, you need to represent what we have here.”
At the field house Wednesday, assistant coaches who worked alongside Hanna joked about his resignation.
“I thought he was going to stay here forever…never leave,” one coach said tauntingly.
“Can you convince him to stay? Maybe we can convince him to stay,” another coach blurted.
It’s just the sort of needling-slash-comradery Hanna says he’ll miss. Fellow coaches have become his best friends and the players his extended family, he added.
“There are a lot of memories, mainly of the kids. They become you’re kids,” Hanna said. “Hopefully we’ve changed and focused a lot of lives so that these young people grow up and do the right thing. And then, there’s all the coaches I’ve competed with over the years. They are my best friends. It’s fun to battle then shake hands after the game. That’s what I think sports are all about anyway.”
