By Jordan Taylor, Sports731 Reporter
New South Side Hawks Head Coach, Lester Narcisse, is facing a unique challenge as he prepares for the 2023 football season. Unlike the other coaches in Jackson who had ample time to prepare, Narcisse was only informed about the South Side job opening in mid-June. Despite the limited time, Narcisse saw this as an excellent opportunity to land his first head coaching job and immediately got to work.
With very little time to put together a coaching staff, Narcisse started recruiting coaches as quickly as possible. He was fortunate to have Coach Evans, the only remaining coach from the previous staff, who played a crucial role in keeping the team together during the transition. Narcisse credits Evans for his dedication and has appointed him as the defensive coordinator for the Hawks this season.
After completing his coaching staff, Narcisse began watching film to assess the team’s strengths and weaknesses. He wanted to build a team that not only focused on wins and losses but also on personal growth and development. Narcisse’s high energy and enthusiasm quickly became evident as he challenged each player to push themselves to their fullest potential.
On the offensive side, Narcisse introduced some changes, implementing the Wing-T offense with different formations. Despite the limited time to practice, Narcisse was impressed with how quickly the players adapted to the new system. While there were some growing pains in the first few scrimmages, Narcisse and his staff identified areas for improvement and were pleased with the progress made.
As August arrived, the Hawks turned their attention to a jamboree matchup with Trinity Christian Academy. This would be the first time Narcisse and the team would experience a game-like atmosphere under the lights at South Side. While there were some highlights, Narcisse emphasized the need to clean up certain aspects of their game before the start of the regular season.
Now, the Hawks are fully focused on their Week 1 matchup against Ripley on August 18th. Under Narcisse’s leadership, the South Jackson community has high hopes for the South Side Hawks. While the team faced challenges due to the limited preparation time, Narcisse’s dedication and the players’ commitment have set the stage for an exciting season ahead.
