Paul Calley – 16 in 2016

Head Football Coach, Harmony Grove
23-Year Saline County Resident

Change is a good thing.

That’s how Paul Calley described his decision to leave Bryant High School after 23 years of coaching the Hornets’ football team and taking over as head coach of the Benton Harmony Grove Cardinals.

“I needed a change, and I think Bryant needed a change,” he said. “It’s going to benefit both places. It’s unbelievable when you think back on what our coaches and our kids accomplished at Bryant. I can honestly say I have no bad memories of the experience.”

Calley made the decision to move on down I-30 in December after 13 years of roaming the Hornet sidelines. In that time, he amassed an impressive record of 103-41-4. His milestone 100th win came October 9 against Alma.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I took that job 12 years ago after Coach [Daryl] Patton left. I never in my wildest dreams would’ve imagined achieving 100 victories. I can remember last five plays of that [Alma] game because I didn’t think it was going to happen.”

Now, he’s getting a fresh start at a smaller 3A school with worlds of possibility. Harmony Grove began their football program six years ago, and as Calley says, was committed to winning from the start.

It also helps that he has strong ties to the administrators leading the school. “I know athletic director, Ricky Mooney. We went to Henderson together,” he said. Also, Chad Weathers, our high school principal, was a basketball coach at Bryant for 12 years. I have a relationship with these guys going back years, and that helped a lot with the transition.

“When you show up, you think of things you may want to change, but there’s nothing here that needs it,” he added. “We have six assistants, working with players from 7th grade up to high school. The kids are working hard and want to be successful.”

Calley does admit there’s a tinge of sadness though to his new post, taking over for coach Jimmy “Red” Parker, who passed away January 4. “It’s sad when you lose a legend like Coach Parker. He lived a good life and influenced a lot of young lives. His impact will be felt for years to come.”

Though still a young program, the Cardinals have reached the state playoffs in each of the past three seasons. The team went 6-5 in 2015 and was knocked out of the playoffs by the Fordyce Redbugs.

Now, the program prepares to shift into a new conference where Calley expects the competition to be challenging. “You look at Glen Rose, Prescott, Center Point. These teams are going to be tough.”

But that’s not changing Calley’s or the Cardinals’ expectations for success. “I don’t have a timetable for anything, but we are going to have high expectations. Then we’re going to get it done.”