By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.com
Ryan Gettys didn’t have to call North Rowan about its football opening.
People were calling him immediately after Avery Cutshaw was relieved of his duties last week.
“One guy called to tell me he had a house (for sale) in his neighborhood,” chuckled Gettys, the current head coach at Fred T. Foard, located near Hickory. “It would be my dream job.”
Gettys is a former Cavalier, having graduated in 1984. He has been the head man at Foard since 2003.
“I haven’t spoken to the principal,” said Gettys, who said he had sent a resume.
North principal Rodney Bass even mentioned that someone came by the school office to ask if he had received something from Gettys.
Bass posted the opening on the NCHSAA Web site. Applications were taken through Friday.
Gettys isn’t the only former Cavalier qualified. Mitch Ellis, a North graduate and former star quarterback, has been an assistant coach at Reynolds for four seasons. He is the offensive coordinator for Mike Propst.
Ellis, reached by phone earlier this week, said he would one day like to be a head coach.
“It would be a great job,” Ellis said of returning to Spencer. “But right now, I’m committed to Propst and Reynolds.”
Gettys and Ellis are just two potential candidates with county ties.
Bass said he even has an application from as far away as Florida from a former Livingstone College player who wants to relocate to the area.
“I’ve got 40 or 50 (applications) so far,” Bass said. “We’ll cut it down to a certain number. We’re looking for experience and coaching philosophies, but the key is what kind of teacher they are.”
Once Bass cuts down the number of applicants, he plans to move quickly.
“I think we’ll have (a coach) in place by the end of the month,” he said.