Rutherford County has great athletes, which is what Kit Hartsfield loves most about coaching. He also loves the tremendous competition that takes place in Rutherford County, where every school in town has a good team. He says when you show up to play, you better be ready.

Rick Collins is the coach Hartsfield credits with impacting him the most as a player. He was a master motivator and could get all his players to run through a wall for him.

Most people have heard about Trey Knox, Micaleous Elder and Adonis Otey, and his team’s group of running backs. But Hartsfield is also excited this year about having Khori Williams back this year as a linebacker for his senior year after he was out due to a shoulder injury last year. Michael Brown, a leader on the offensive line, is another one to watch. Jalen Brown and Luke Hayes, at safety, are also fun to watch.

Hartsfield began his journey and love for the game as a player at Riverdale — he played for Gary Rankin. Hartsfield describes Rankin as being an old-school guy in terms of his philosophy. He won with toughness and discipline. With him, there was never any question. You did what the coaches said back then, when they said it, to the best of your ability. There was a lot of respect back then and players played hard regardless of the type of relationship they had with their coach.

Nowadays, Hartsfield says coaches have to build that relationship before they earn the respect, and can enforce the discipline that’s needed to succeed. “You have to earn their respect before they give you their very best of you, as their coach,” he said, citing the biggest differences in coaching between now and the past.