Keswick Christian football coach Rick Sanson, who has led the program since its inception in 1998, said he is leaving the school as an advance placement history teacher and will no longer be coaching football.
“This was a decision that was strictly academic and had nothing to do with football,” Sanson said. “There is a new headmaster who is in his first year. We see things differently, and I made decision to leave. It is not an anger thing, but it is sad to no longer be a part of the football program because I’m going in another direction.”
Sanson was a football coach at Miami Christian and the school athletic director for a decade before deciding to become Keswick’s coach when it started football in 1998.
In 15 seasons with the Crusaders, Sanson went 69-88 and made the playoffs seven times, including five straights seasons from 2004-08. Last year, the team was 1-9.
Keswick athletic director Karrmayne King said the school did not post the position on the Florida High Scholl Athletic Association website because the administrative staff already had a few candidates in mind. The school is on spring break this week and will most likely announce a new coach the following week.
“We already had a few people in mind for the position, some that we knew, others through word of mouth,” King said. “It’s tough to see Rick go because he was the only football coach we’ve ever had and he did a good job with the program.”