Flagler Palm Coast announces hire of Father Lopez's Daniel Fish as football coach
Daniel Fish will wear a slightly different shade of green on the sidelines when spring football begins in May.
Flagler Palm Coast hired Fish, Father Lopez's head coach for the last three seasons, to the same position Wednesday, the school announced via social media. Fish guided the Green Wave to a 14-14 record — including a 6-5 mark in 2022, and a spot in the FHSAA Class 1S regional semifinals.
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Fish takes over for Robert Paxia, who resigned last month to fill the coaching vacancy at Winder-Barrow in Georgia. Last season, the Bulldogs officially went 4-7, forced to forfeit four games (three wins) by the FHSAA for the use of an academically ineligible palayer, but still won just their fourth district championship in school history.
"With the coaching changes that we've had, these kids need some consistency to build a program," FPC athletic director Steve DeAugustino said. "I think Daniel Fish is right at this moment to take us to the next level. He's a players' coach and will take care of our kids in every aspect. And he's a great football coach; that goes without saying."
A former Valdosta State linebacker and Stage 3 testicular cancer survivor, Fish informed Father Lopez of his resignation Tuesday. Fish, who resides in Flagler County, stabilized a program that underwent three separate coaching changes in the space of seven months from November 2019 until June 2020.
"We're very happy with the job Daniel Fish has done here. We wish him nothing but the best with his future school," Father Lopez athletic director Tyler Solan said. "We're very confident we're going to find the right person to lead Father Lopez football."
Father Lopez has just over a month to find a replacement before the FHSAA's first day of allowable, non-contact spring practices, May 1. Menendez is also still searching for a football coach following the sudden resignation of Ben White on March 7, athletic director Matt McCool said.
Five other football teams across Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns counties enter the 2023 campaign with new coaches in charge: Bartram Trail (Cory Johns), University (Justin Roberts), Deltona (Matt Martin), Seabreeze (Lester Davis), Tocoi Creek (Zach Harbison).
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: FHSAA football: Daniel Fish named Flagler Palm Coast head coach
