Head Dawg Carney ready to retire

HITCHCOCK — Longtime Hitchcock athletic director and head football coach Gary Carney announced his retirement Wednesday.

Carney, who coached at Hitchcock from 1985-87 and again from 1998 through this year, will step down in June.

“It’s been a great ride, but it’s about that time,” Carney said. “When I originally came here 25 years ago, a man told me that Hitchcock was the best kept secret in Galveston County. After all this time here, I’d have to say I agree with him.”

Carney spent most of his 35-year coaching career in Galveston County. The Texas City native’s first job was as an assistant coach at his alma mater Texas City High School after graduating from Stephen F. Austin University.

After a brief stint as the head coach at Harmony High School, Carney was hired at Hitchcock in 1985. A few years later, he moved on to be the head coach at Calhoun High School in Port Lavaca for three seasons before returning to Galveston County as head coach and athletic director at Santa Fe High School.

Carney was the Indians coach for four seasons before returning to Hitchcock as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator for athletic director and head coach Karl Terrebonne.

A season later, Carney became the athletic director and head coach at Hitchcock after Terrebonne left for a job at Baytown Sterling.

Throughout his career, Carney gained a reputation of being able to take over struggling programs and turn them around. He also is regarded as one of the top offensive coaches in the state, often coaching a high scoring and multi-look offensive scheme at most of his stops.

In his 27 years as a head coach, Carney compiled a record of 110-140-3.

“I look forward to doing things like fishing, being around my grandkids and watching a lot of football on TV,” Carney said. “I hope I can handle watching Hitchcock games from the bleachers, but it’s about that time.”

Interim Superintendent Lee Knapp said the school board decided to hire from within to replace Carney. Assistant coach Craig Smith will be promoted to athletic director and head coach when Carney steps down in June, Knapp said.

“I recommended him because he played at Hitchcock and we’ve coached together for years,” Carney said. “Hopefully, the realignment (on Feb. 1) puts us back in the small 2A division, but we’re right on the bubble. Either way, it’ll have a pretty big impact on how we do in the future.”

Sports Editor Jordan Godwin contributed to this story.