Trinity Christian football hires former Obion County, Union City coach Darren Bowling
Trinity Christian will move forward with its football program with a veteran coach with championship pedigree after the school announced it has hired Darren Bowling.
Bowling takes over for Blake Butler who returned to Evangelical Christian last month. Butler led TCA for 12 seasons with an overall record of 73-66, helping the Lions reach the Division II-A quarterfinals three straight seasons and two semifinals in 2013 and 2015.
Bowling brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to TCA with stops in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Kentucky. He captured four Class 1A state championships in Tennessee with Union City in 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2017 (2A) was named TSSAA coach of the year in each of those years. He also captured a pair of state titles at Silliman High in Clinton, Louisiana.
TOP PERFORMERS Jackson area high school spring sports top performers for Week 3 of the 2023 season
BLAKE BUTLER TCA coach leaves for ECS position after 12 seasons with Lions
"We are excited to welcome a high caliber coach like coach Bowling to our TCA family," Lions athletics director Dexter Williams said Thursday. "His coaching success is remarkable."
Trinity Christian finished 5-7 last season, losing in the Division II-A state quarterfinal to Nashville Christian. The Lions were 4-7 in 2021 but haven't failed to reach the playoffs since 2019.
"TCA has been blessed by coach Butler and his family over the past 12 years," TCA principal Judy Brown said. "We're also blessed that God has brought coach Bowling to TCA to help lead and disciple our athletes and coaches with excellence."
The Greenville, Mississippi, native has also coached at Obion County but spent the past two seasons at Murray High School in Kentucky. His Tigers were 6-6 in 2022, losing to Mayfield in the Class 2A state playoffs. Murray was 8-3 in Bowling's first season in 2021.
Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: TSSAA football: Darren Bowling returns to coaching in Tennessee at TCA
