Dobson Not Returning as Victory Christian Football Coach

Wed. November 14, 2012 at 1:00 a.m. | By Solange Reyner

By SOLANGE REYNER

THE LEDGER

LAKELAND | Victory Christian is looking for a new football coach for the second time in less than two years.

The school announced Tuesday afternoon that Andre Dobson, who took over for Jeff Schaum in late March as athletic director and football coach, will not return next season.

"This afternoon we met with our football players to let them know that head coach Andre Dobson will be transitioning from Victory Christian Academy now that our season is over," Victory principal Karla Collins wrote in an e-mail sent out to parents Tuesday.

"Although he led our team for only one season, he left a permanent imprint on the lives of our athletes. We have appreciated his hard work, commitment and integrity, both on and off the field, but more importantly, we have appreciated his heart for the players, and his desire to see each of them reach their fullest potential in God."

The letter also said that Victory hopes to have a new coach well before the spring football season. The school wouldn't say why Dobson left the school and Dobson did not answer his phone Tuesday night.

The Storm finished 4-6 this season and did not make the Class 2A playoffs. The Storm were close, though, but lost in a play-off for the runner-up spot on Nov. 5 to Foundation Academy.

Dobson coached at Northside Christian in Tampa from 2008 to 2011 and left that program with a 14-27 overall record.

In 2011, Northside went 1-9 overall and 0-8 in a tough district. 

Dobson was selected for the Victory job from a pool of about 80 applicants, Victory pastor Dan McBride said at the time.

Schaum, who is now the head football coach at Warner University, which is set to start its collegiate season in 2013, led Victory to the playoffs in all three of his seasons while there and finished with a 29-6 record.

[Solange Reyner may be reached at solange.reyner@theledger.com or 863-802-7526.]