Nick Anderson doesn’t believe in coincidences. He believes everything happens for a reason.
That’s why it was so hard to pass up the next chapter of his life — and even harder to say goodbye to Kinston High and its football program.
Anderson, who coached the Vikings to the state 2AA title game in 2011, announced on Friday that he is leaving to take a teaching and head coaching position at George Washington High School in Danville, Va.
Kinston went 30-10 in Anderson’s three-year tenure, making him third on the school’s all-time wins list behind Sam Green and Ralph Holloway, who each finished their careers with 37 wins.
Even before the 30 wins Anderson, an Alamance County native, always wanted to find a teaching and coaching job near home. But it never happened.
Instead, the now 31-year-old who arrived at Kinston in the summer of 2010 by way of Greenville Rose, found work near Greenville, which became his second home while he attended ECU.
So to Anderson, who recently became a father, it’s no coincidence that his parents recently relocated to the Danville area, and that a high school known for its football program needed a new head coach shortly thereafter.
It’s all by God’s design.
“Number one is family. I’ve always been a big family man, and it came in two parts. Half of that is moving closer to my parents, and the other half is my wife and my child and the financial standpoint of that,” he said. “We’re trying to build a future for our son.
“I’m big on things happening for a reason. God’s got a plan for everyone.”
After spending the first five seasons of his coaching career as an assistant with the Rampants, Kinston gave Anderson his first head coaching gig and did so with little room to plan.
Anderson was hired in early July 2010, and had less than a month to implement an entire new offense.
Kinston, a little over a half-year removed from its first trip to the regional finals, had no problem adjusting. The Vikings went 10-3 in Anderson’s first season and finished tied for second in the Eastern Plains 2A Conference. They also reached the second round of the state 2AA playoffs.
The following season Anderson coached Kinston to the most successful public school season in modern Lenoir County football history. His team went 13-2, ran the table in league play and played for its first-ever state championship on Dec. 3, 2011.
While the Vikings came up short for the 2AA title in a 21-14 loss to West Stokes, it was still a season of dreams for the team and its coach.
It’s been three seasons full of dreams, actually. And a hard three seasons to say goodbye to.
“It’s giving me cold chills just thinking about them. There’s been some very great times at Kinston. I’m really going to miss being there,” Anderson said.
“It was so hard to stand there today and tell those kids that I wasn’t coming back. That’s something I’ll always remember — how hard that was. This place, these kids, it’s so special.”
Anderson will take over for Bobby Martin, who left George Washington High in February after one season, and will be the school’s fourth head football coach in the last five years, according to the Danville Register & Bee.
The Eagles went 8-3 last season and won the Western Valley District championship, according to the paper.
Anderson said the schools, Kinston and George Washington, are similar in terms of the type of football they play and the type of players each has.
He also likened Danville, which borders North Carolina about 15 miles northeast of Reidsville, to Greenville.
Next season, instead of his family driving two-plus hours to watch his team play, it’ll only have to drive a few short minutes.
“A lot of it is very similar to Kinston, and that’s kind of what is so great about this whole deal,” Anderson said. “We’re just excited about getting up there and taking with us everything we’ve learned at Kinston, and just converting it a little bit, to Virginia.”
Now that Anderson is leaving, Kinston is left making plans for his replacement.
Athletic Director Perry Tyndall said that as of now the assistant coaches and players will continue their offseason workouts, and when the time comes he and Vikings Principal Angela Bryant will begin the process of looking over resumes and conducting interviews.
Tyndall was saddened to hear the news that his friend is leaving, but understands completely.
“I hate to see Nick leave, he’s done a good job here, but I can’t fault him for bettering his family. He did a lot for our program,” Tyndall said. “Now we’ve got to move on and figure out what to do next.”
Anderson feels that whoever takes his place is walking into a great situation, both program and school wise.
“It’s just an appetizing job. It’s just a great job,” he said.
Anderson’s departure means the area will have three new head football coaches next season — all in one conference.
Greene Central relieved former coach Ken Grantham of his duties last November after five seasons, and former South Lenoir coach Tim Jenkins resigned in January to take a teaching and coaching job at East Duplin.
Grantham took over for Jenkins at South Lenoir, and the Rams hired former North Pitt defensive coordinator Allen Wooten to replace Grantham.
The new Eastern Carolina 2A Conference will consist of Ayden-Grifton, Greene Central, Goldsboro, Kinston, North Lenoir and South Lenoir.
Anderson said he never thought of leaving the Vikings until looking at what, if anything, was available in the area his parents were moving to.
There was, and it’s now time for Anderson to go home.
“I’m just big on that God has a plan and he’s going to continue to guide you on the track that he wants you to go. He’s going to open doors for you. It’s not by coincidence, or anything like that,” he said.
“There’s a reason there were never any job openings where I grew up. God didn’t want me to go there. He wanted me to go to Kinston where I could get used to big-time athletes so when this job opened up, and my parents moved up there, I’d already be ready.”
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.