BoBob

You are EXACTLY right. He is the difference for a lot of kids and is the only positive contact in their lives. Appreciate the kind words. If any of you guys are on Facebook there is a page for Coach. Prayers for Coach Doug Smith (in fact there is a "favorite memory of coach post that you could post in---he loves to hear from other schools to) We are all in this life together. He gets to read all of these or has them read to him and loves to hear from folks. He's commented many times that he and his family can feel the prayers. Maybe just jot a comment down on their about the game we played. Thanks all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PO1

Yea, that student was a in my classroom during his fourth grade year. It was rough for a lot of those boys and I distinctly remember us having a moment of silence for your communities loss. Coach appreciates the prayers!!!!

He absolutely has ruined it for them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If we are not allowed in I help paint the field for the games and I believe I can get on the chain crew if needed. Exactly. Never been to Grahams stadium but in seeing pictures there is no reason the "25" is the same as put 25 in Appomattox's stadium. I'm sure the VHSL will try to make it so they can keep Ralphy happy and say "since it's a VHSL event....."

So, I'm staving for some football talk and being we are still on the back burner for a couple months I thought I try to strike up some reading. Looking for some input from some of you south western folks. Question: If your been over to Appomattox to play the Raiders (Giles, Glenvar, Richlands, Union, Graham, or anyone else) how does the fans and the game atmosphere we have compared to y'alls? I know when we went to Union to play at the Park in 2017 it was an electric atmosphere. Now in saying that I know there was a lot of SWVA schools there to see the Raiders fall, so I'm guess it was amped up over normal. I thought for the 4.5 hour drive that our school brought a good and loud crowd to that game that didn't exactly give the Bears "total" home field advantage. Anyway, rate what the trips to Appo have been like or share one of your favorite places to play. Looking for some reading. LOL! P.S. Keep praying our boys get to play this year!

Just out that he signed a deal through 2026 that put him in top 5 paid coaches in Group of 5.

Kids are getting ROBBED is absolutely correct!!!!

That could be. I'm sure schools will be calling. LU paying him pretty well though and there is definitely job security there as long as he does nothing to jeopardize it.

So what does the Liberty victory over Tech mean for instate recruiting or recruiting in general? I got to think that win (and being 2-0 in the ACC) is going to swing some recruits into at least putting LU on their "seriously considering" list.

Well tonight would be the final game for lots of seniors and next week the playoffs would have begun. Sure hope they let our boys play. Are there still 36 states playing right now while VA kids sit by and wave goodbye to their season / senior seasons for some of them.

Congrats to your boy!

Thanks for sharing that video!!!

Thanks all. He usually has FCA for the kids after practice on Wednesday nights (if they choose to stay). I know we as parents are going there tonight to pray for him and our hopes is to try to keep that going for the kids even is just a few Wednesdays a month.

I know we aren't SW team but I also know there are some prayer warriors down there that would be willing to lift our head coach, Doug Smith up in your prayers. Coach had been dealing with what he thought was a pulled muscle for some time in his core area and last week found out it actually was a tumor. He's been told he has bone cancer in his spine and a biopsy was done yesterday to find out more. For those that have knowledge of the Raiders know that coach leads this team with an extreme amount of faith and love for his Savior Jesus Christ. We've played some of y'all in the past and you may have witnessed the prayer circle that our team does an hour before each game. That's the kind of commitment he has for the Lord and he tries to instill in his players. Here is just a small paragraph that he wrote to the football family, "Please know I am OK. Many people have had much worse. I am trusting God all the way through this. He has been my ROCK all my life. Anything I can do to bring glory to Him is good with me." I've said many times that I feel very blessed to have a man like this coach my boys and that statement just solidifies that more. Our team mottos over the past 5 years have been: PO1 (Power of One) scripturally based BELIEVE FAITH STRONG JOY FOCUS All of these he has pulled from a verse in the Bible somewhere. Now these "mottos" are being applied to his fight. Thanks for your prayers. We look forward to an opportunity to cross paths with one of y'all this year.

I would say if you; yourself, is not talking directly to a coach of that team then they aren't too serious. I would also add to go where your wanted not just who has contact with you. If a school is pursuing you and are reaching out to you on a regular basis then that is the school.

No football games so let’s talk it. Where would you team be standing this far through the season? Appomattox Raiders: They could be anywhere 3-2 right now and a possible 5-0. Our first game might have been a rough one. Buckingham returns a veteran squad that is really about the same team from last year. They were riddled with injuries in the playoffs or there would have been a very good chance we would have seen them in Salem. Our third game would have been against 3A Heritage who generally makes a good run in the playoffs. Not saying the Raiders would have lost this games but they (like last year) need to bring some young lineman along. If that can happen they have the skill players to be a threat to any team.