Faith, family, football: Trevor Higgins to remain as Pana football coach
PANA — Trevor Higgins thought about hanging up the whistle because he chiefly wants to be a devoted dad and minister.
“I've always said that it's faith, family, football in that order,” Higgins said. “And if it ever got out of order, then I needed to change it up.”
Higgins, who serves as a worship minister at First Christian Church in Moweaqua, ultimately decided that he will remain as Pana’s football coach because he found the right balance.
“And so after talking with both of them after this season, both my family and the church leadership said that I should go back and so now I'm going back,” Higgins said.
Winning ways
He has had resounding success in Pana.
The Panthers captured a share of the South Central Conference title and reached the Class 2A quarterfinals this past season before bowing to eventual state champion Decatur St. Teresa, 37-12. That roster starred two-time Illinois High School Football Coaches Association quarterback Max Lynch.
Higgins, who is 62-12 in seven seasons, has won three straight SCC titles and four all together with the Panthers. He has also guided Pana to a playoff berth each year except for the shortened COVID-19 season that nixed the playoffs.
He is now looking to fill a couple of vacancies on the coaching staff, including defensive coordinator as well as a head freshman/JV football coach.
The 2003 Moweaqua Central A&M graduate described Pana as a second home.
He still lives in Moweaqua and jumpstarted the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at his alma mater where he played under former longtime coach Mark Ramsey, who recently retired after winning the Class 2A state title at the aforementioned St. Teresa.
Higgins couldn’t help but laugh when asked if Ramsey might join his staff.
“It would be great to have a football mind like that on there for sure, but I think he's definitely retired,” Higgins said.
Higgins certainly values his family. That includes his wife, Jeri Ann, and two young kids, Owen and Madilyn. He lost his son, Evan, to a pool accident in 2019.
Evan is synonymous with Pana football, Higgins said.
“I definitely don't want to miss out on anything for our kids because now I know exactly how much you're going to miss it or how it just could be taken from you, so that was heavy on my mind as well,” Higgins said. “But Evan's also such a big part of Pana football. We run out with his flag, the Gift of Hope flag, and he's got a 12th-man with a picture of him. That's always out every home game.
“He's also a big part of that and that's another reason why it was just going to be hard to leave because I didn't want to stop that legacy for him.”
Higgins said it’s hard to open up about Evan but doesn’t want people to take anything in life for granted.
“If my story helps a dad to be more involved in his kids' life or helps them to love their kids more or realize just how little time you have with them, if my story can help do that, I want that to happen,” Higgins said. “And also just my wife and I are just big in wanting to point people to Jesus. Without him, we wouldn't have the strength to go through after a situation like that. We try to use our story the best we can, but it's also just really hard to talk about a lot.”
Contact Bill Welt: 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA football: Trevor Higgins to keep coaching at Pana
