Travis leaves a good legacy

It's not common to leave a winning team, but head Blackhawk football coach Tony Travis is doing just that.

"It's a weird feeling being excited and sad at the same time," Travis said when announcing his decision to accept the head coach job at Heritage High School in Rogers.

Blackhawk football

2009 — 2/8

2010 — 1/9

2011 — 4/6

2012 — 10/2

2013 — 3/7

2014 — 10/1

2015 — 11/3

For the past seven football seasons, Travis has worked at Pea Ridge coaching football and molding lives. He has been the athletic director for the past several years, as well.

"The first thing that happens when somebody leaves a situation, especially a good situation, is people ask what happened. Nothing happened," Travis said. "I'm extremely happy here."

He said he will be able to focus on coaching football and spend more time with his family, wife, Shannon and son, Jake, 9.

"At Rogers Heritage, I'll have the chance to focus on football -- that's my favorite," Travis said. "And, I'll be getting back a little family time year round. That was the biggest."

"It is a 7A. It is the highest level of what I do in my state. That's the biggest conference. Historically, it's the best," he said, adding that the 7A has been dominated by Fayetteville, Bentonville and Har-Ber. "The fact that I can go back to focusing on football only and get to spend a little more time with family was the biggest reason."

Travis' son, Jake is 9. These past two years, he's helped as a manager on the sidelines for the Blackhawks.

"I've always been able to go to Jake's events," Travis said. "Mr. Neal has always been a family needs to come first type of guy."

"I'm extremely proud of Tony," Rick Neal, school superintendent said. "He's come in and taken a program and made it a winning program. We worked really hard together in improving this program ... He's a real role model for our community and school. He was an outstanding ambassador for our football."

At Pea Ridge, Travis was earning $76,000 as both athletic director and head football coach. He will be paid $80,910 in Rogers.

Telling his players, one by one, last week was emotional. "There's been a handshake or a hug," Travis said, adding that he thought most of them understood and said they'd be pulling for him.

"When I first got here, we were in transition from 3A to 4A. We qualified for the playoffs three times and got beat in the fourth round this past year," Travis said. "We've beat Shiloh the last two years."

"I think Tony was great. He was a great fit for our school," Mark Laster, former Blackhawk football coach (2007-2008) and current teacher, said. "He does a great job for our kids and for our program. It will be a great loss for our school and he will be hard to replace."

Mike Harrod, former Blackhawk coach, said Travis was an asset to the school.

"That first year, we had 27 kids on the team. The second year, we were up to 36, then up to 42, and in 2012, we were getting close to high 40s," Travis said. "It's gotten a little bigger each year. The last two years there were 62 and 66 on the team ... There are 95 on the current roster for next year."

Travis said building the athletic facility was a tremendous move for the school and allows athletes to work out year round.

"Our players are our biggest recruiters. Our guys talk about the pride they have in being a Blackhawk and how much fun they have," Travis said.

"The main thing that I want people to know is how much fun I've had being the coach at Pea Ridge," Travis said. "No matter what our record was any given year, we've always had the support of the parents, the community. The kids have been great. It's been a tough decision ... I've met a lot of people I would never have met. I think I'll be friends for life.

Editor's note: To be continued next week.

General News on 02/10/2016