Erik Soliday, the head coach of Americus High School’s state football championship teams in 2000 and 2001, is taking over the Perry High School program. The Houston County Board of Education approved Soliday as the new Panther athletic director and head football coach Tuesday.
The head coach at Turner County High School since 2004, Soliday replaces Stacey Harden, who resigned in April after three seasons in Perry. The Panthers qualified for the state playoffs as a region No. 4 seed in all three years under Harden.
Soliday, a native of West Virginia, began his coaching career in Turner County. Americus High hired him after Dan Ragle went to Ware County in 1999. Soliday’s Americus teams won the two state titles in Class AA and reached the semifinals one other time in 2002.
Last season’s Turner County Rebels finished 6-5, which ended a string of three straight sub-.500 years. From 2005-08, Soliday’s record in Ashburn was 34-13.
“He has a great reputation,” said Perry principal Darryl Albritton. “I look forward to him working with the kids at Perry High.
“He has a wealth of experience to draw from, and he knows how to motivate kids.”
Albritton said Soliday first met with the upcoming Panther football team Thursday at spring practice.
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