Evans coach resigns because of bad knee
Chip Gierke has resigned as Evans’ football coach with two games to go in a trying season.
Gierke, 62, said he stepped down because of an ailing left knee that impacted his coaching all year.
He missed two non-district games at midseason, with assistant coach Alex Haynes taking charge for losses to Winter Haven and Davenport Ridge Community. Gierke tried coaching from upstairs rather than from the sideline when Evans lost at Apopka two weeks ago.
The Trojans are1-7 entering a home game Friday night against West Orange (7-1).
“Physically, I just can’t do it,” Gierke said Wednesday morning. “It’s time to move on and let Alex take this thing over. It’s not that I didn’t try. I just couldn’t do it anymore.
“I probably shouldn’t have started it [this season], but I wanted to take care of these kids.”
Gierke took over an Evans program coming off a 1-8 season in 2011 and led the Trojans to10-2and9-3 Class 7A district championship records the past two years.
Haynes is a former Evans standout who left UCF in 2004 with a then-Knights career rushing record (3,359 yards).
“My plans right now are to get my leg right. That’s it,” Gierke said. “I need to work with some of these seniors that need scholarships, but I’m going to get surgery. I’ve put it off too long.”
Gierke is 158-69 in 21 seasons as a head coach, including stints at Apopka and Dr. Phillips.