Today’s interviewee is Carver of Atlanta coach Darren Myles, whose team defeated Region 7-3A champion Cherokee Bluff 23-21 last week to reach the Class 3A quarterfinals. Carver started 0-4 but now stands 6-4 (one was loss overturned by forfeit) entering its game Friday at No. 6 Pierce County. Myles is in his 16th season as Carver’s coach. Carver had won 17 games in the 16 seasons before Myles was hired. Carver has won 108 in the 16 seasons since.
Darren Myles, Carver (Atlanta) head coach
1. How does it feel to be the only school in the city of Atlanta, public or private, to be in the quarterfinals? “It means a lot to still be playing and to be among the elite at this point. It’s an honor and privilege to be representing the city of Atlanta in the quarterfinals. I didn’t know that until you posed that question. It’s great for the community and the school and definitely great for the players and coaches and parents. We were in the quarterfinals three years ago, but the only players we have that were part of that team are two seniors, so nobody else was around. For our school, we’re still virtual [learning], so we can’t get the feel from the school and know exactly how everybody feels, but I know our principals Christina Rogers and Yusuf Muhammad are elated. They’re at all the games supporting the boys, and I know our [district] athletic director, Jasper Jewell, and everybody in the athletic department are excited as well.”
2. You started the season 0-4. At what point did you believe you could have a season like you’ve had, and what made you feel that way? “When looking at our schedule on paper, we knew that we probably wouldn’t be 3-0 going into region. We knew those were three tough opponents that would prepare us for our region schedule, which was the toughest in 3A. We thought we had a good enough team to get into the playoffs and have success in the playoffs. Once we were 0-4 [with an opening region loss to Cedar Grove], I still felt that way, and so did my staff, so it became our job to press upon our players that we can still have a very successful season. We played Cherokee. We lost. They’re a Class 7A team. We lost at the wire against Lovejoy. They’re a 6A team and were in the top 10. We lost to Buford. They’re a top-five team. Then we lost to Cedar Grove, the two-time champion. With all those games, there was a lesson in it. We were up on Lovejoy and blew coverage and allowed them to catch a slant and score. This past weekend, we jumped up on Cherokee Bluff, just like Lovejoy, but we had to hold on. Instead of giving up a big play, we intercepted a pass. Those losses did something for us. They made us more resilient.” [Region 5-3A has two other quarterfinalists – Greater Atlanta Christian and Cedar Grove.]
3. What would you want people to know about this year’s team? “We have a group of hard-working, resilient young men, for one. They’re committed, and they love each other. You can’t play for a team unless you play for each other. We only have eight seniors on this team. These juniors were forced to play as freshmen. When we played Kell in the first round two years ago, we had about five [freshman] starters in that game. They kept coming and working. Some kids when they lose, they start falling off. There were no pouters. We have some good players and a good coaching staff as well.”
4. When you took the Carver job in 2005, the program had won about seven games in the previous eight years. What were the keys to turning things around? “The turning point for any program is establishing a positive culture and changing the mindset of players. You want them to believe they can win, that they can finish. You put them through different drills, whether it’s weight room or agility, and challenge them. It can be something as simple as ‘you’re supposed to be in the meeting at 3:30, and you’re 15 seconds late.’ I’ll have them do pushups just to see how they respond. My thing was that players had to participate in something in the offseason. ‘If not another sport, you’re in the weight room. You’re not disappearing.’ All of our football coaches were assistant coaches in other sports, so there was always a football coach there. We kept our hands on them year-round. Then you build on success. They begin thinking, ‘If we can beat them in a race, we can beat them in football.’ The difference was changing the mindset of kids used to losing.”
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