LEMON BAY HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL DAN JEFFERS ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT MIKE MESSINA HAS BEEN RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES AS THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT THE SCHOOL. JEFFERS THANKED MESSINA FOR HIS HARD WORK OVER HIS 16 YEARS AT THE HELM, WHICH INCLUDED 4 DISTRICT TITLES, THE LAST OF WHICH CAME IN 2003. JEFFERS SAID HE WILL BE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BRING RENEWED ENTHUSIASM TO THE PROGRAM WHICH HAS NOT HAD A WINNING SEASON SINCE ’03. HE SAID HE WILL OPEN THINGS UP TO CURRENT ASSISTANTS BUT WILL ALSO LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT LEADER. JEFFERS STRESSED THAT THE NEW COACH WILL HAVE TO BE A TEACHER FIRST. CHARLOTTE COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE CURRENTLY ON A HIRING FREEZE, BUT TEACHERS THAT LEAVE THE SCHOOL AND/OR RETIRE CAN BE REPLACED.
