By Ross  Johnson

Sports Writer

The Callaway football coaching staff isn’t about just X’s and O’s.

It’s not just about the wins, and it’s not about the losses, which have been few and far between the past two seasons.

For the Cavaliers’ staff, it’s about doing what they love.

When head coach Pete Wiggins was hired for the position five years ago, he assembled a staff that has largely stayed put.

With one exception, the entire staff has stayed together and formed a special bond, and it’s translated into an impressive product on the field.

“It’s our fifth year together, and each year, we’ve gotten better as a staff,” Wiggins said. “Each coach knows their roles and responsibilities. They’re dedicated to this school and this community, and they love being here. I think that’s been a big part of our success.”

Three current coaches were on the staff before Wiggins became the head coach, including Terry Hayes (defensive backs), Eric Woods (running backs), and Alan Bradshaw (outside linebackers), but Wiggins brought the rest of them on board with a vision of making Callaway a football powerhouse.

With two straight Region 5-AA titles and two consecutive years with a playoff win, it looks like the Cavaliers are on their way.

Wiggins knew keeping the coaches together would pay dividends.

“You’ve got to have continuity on the staff,” said Wiggins, who was an assistant at Callaway under Claude Giddens, who is now a coach at LaGrange High. “The kids see a togetherness among the coaches. We hang out together. We watch ball games together. We do those kinds of things that bring a togetherness and we do things that with our kids, too.”

Defensive coordinator Dusty Hubbard, who is a graduate of the former Hogansville High and is the head baseball, coach knew the staff had a tall task of “changing the culture” at Callaway.

The Cavaliers always had talent, but when things went bad people found excuses in the past, according to Hubbard.

With Wiggins’ arrival, all that changed.

“That was the biggest thing, is Coach Wiggins on Day 1 said we’re going to quit making excuses and we’re going to find a way,” Hubbard said. “When you’re having success, kids see it and they believe in that formula.”

Woods has been a part of the school since its inception, and has seen several staffs come and go.

All of them, he said, enjoyed their work and got along well, but the continuity wasn’t there.

“It’s just a good bunch of guys that really get along well with each other,” said Woods, who is also the assistant head coach. “And we’ve had that here in the past, but now we’ve got it and they’re staying. It’s been refreshing to know you’re going to go from season to season with the same people.”

In his years at Callaway, Woods has seen the landscape of high school football change dramatically.

Prior to Wiggins’ arrival, the Cavaliers weren’t participating in nearly as many off-season camps and workouts as the team does now.

The commitment by the players and coaches has been the biggest reason for the program’s turnaround, according to Woods.

“If you’re going to be successful and keep up, you’ve got to put that time in,” Woods said. “We’ve been successful before, but success does breed that. Everybody knows we’ve got something special here.”

Wiggins agrees that Callaway is growing for the better.

“There were some struggles early when we first got here that are gone now,” Wiggins said. “Now everybody’s wanting to wear a ‘C’ on their chest, and that means a lot.”

Hubbard and offensive coordinator Matt Napier carry large roles with the team as coordinators, but it doesn’t stop there.

Kareem Douhne (wide receivers), J.J. Wahl (offensive line), Rodney Williams (defensive line), Ashley Summerlin (tight ends and special teams), Tim Freeman (kickers and punters) and junior varsity coaches Jason Sherrer and Kerry Woodard have played integral roles in on-field coaching.

Of course, equipment manager Trey Tucker and trainer Amy Wiggins are also behind-the-scenes contributors who make life much easier for the Cavaliers.

“I’m fortunate as a head coach to have such quality people around me,” Wiggins said. “It makes my job easy. I’m blessed and excited. We’re all like a family. We’re excited about being here and seeing the school grow and seeing the Callaway community grow.”