I've been getting calls and emails asking for a progress update on the search for Crestview High School's next head football coach and athletic director.
I can assure you the search is in full swing as assistant principal Dexter Day and the search committee work through what is always a long, sometimes drawn out process. I talk with Day several times a week, with me calling him sometimes and him calling me other times.
Day has promised me that as soon as there is something major to know, he'll get the information to me so I can get the story everyone is waiting for.
Late Friday, he said the search committee — which has met a few times — was getting the list of more than 90 names down to a manageable number.
There were 85 names on the original list given to the committee, but six candidates who applied on time were accidentally left off the original list and the committee was given time to review those six coaches’ resumes.
Day said the committee had trimmed the original list of 91 down to the approximately 15 or 20 coaches who made the first cut. The search committee has been checking the coaches’ references and backgrounds before moving on to the next cut.
The committee will meet tonight to narrow the list of 15-20 down to a group of finalists. The committee also will come up with the questions they want to ask the finalists and begin the process of setting up times for those men to come in and interview for the job.
Day said the committee did not have a firm number of how many coaches would be brought in for an interview.
I will contact Day on Thursday, when I'll get the names of the finalists and more in depth information about their backgrounds for a story in Saturday's News Bulletin.
I know some people might think the process is taking a while, but things actually are moving at a nice pace.
When Matt Brunson left Crestview after the 2010 season to go to Baker, it took about 45 days before Kevin Pettis was tapped to fill the Bulldog job. Brunson announced he was going home to Baker on Dec. 16, 2010. Pettis was named the Crestview coach on Jan. 31, 2011.
If you take out the two-week period during the holidays in 2010, that still puts the transition from Brunson to Pettis at about 30-35 days. Tomorrow marks four weeks since Pettis resigned to take a job at Sebastian River High School.
Once the committee comes up with that final list of names, the process should speed up. I'm guessing the interviews will take place late this week or Monday or Tuesday next week.
While Day still doesn't want to give a timeline for the hire, I'd be surprised if Crestview hasn't named a new coach by March 8.
A word of caution, though: fans shouldn't be discouraged, even if the process drags on a little longer. That only means the committee is taking the time to make sure it gets this all-important hire right.
There are rumors flying around about who the next coach may or may not be, but until the committee makes an announcement, the rumors are just that: rumors.
One of my favorite sayings is, "How come there never seems to be enough time to do a job right, but always enough time to do a job over?"
CrestviewHigh Schoolcan't afford another do-over in two years, so getting it right is a must.
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Staying on top of the coaching search