Whitman officials hired Sean Pierce on February 3 to serve as the next football head coach. Piece replaces Dave “Slick” Fyock (‘84), who retired from the football program this past December. 

Pierce served as the offensive coordinator for the varsity squad at Gaithersburg High School this past year, and for the previous two years, he coached as the varsity receivers coach and junior varsity head coach at Richard Montgomery High School. Pierce’s high school coaching career began back in 2017 when he was an assistant coach for Northwood High School, his alma mater.

Pierce played football competitively from the age of seven until he was 17, and his father coached other teams since Pierce was a baby, so football was always in his life, he said. 

“Football is the game that shaped my life,” Pierce said. “It’s the game that put me in the position that I’m currently in.”

Pierce said he believes that football is the ultimate team sport because it teaches teamwork on and off the field.

Moving from Gaithersburg to Whitman wasn’t an easy choice, Pierce said. However, he said he is excited to start a new chapter in his coaching career, and that the historic success of the Whitman football program gives him confidence for the future. 

In his opening season, Pierce plans to design new playbooks and gameplans. He said he believes that by creating a more rigid team culture, success will be inevitable for Whitman football.

“[We are] going to establish a tough, yet different mindset that’ll permeate throughout the program and result in winning football games,” Pierce said.

Before getting his new job, Pierce was already familiar with some Whitman football coaches. Pierce got to know Whitman defensive coordinator John Floyd and assistant junior varsity coach Sam Mason while coaching against the two. He’s excited to continue to work alongside them, he said.

Floyd and Mason helped Pierce set up a meeting with his new players on February 9. The team members discussed plans for offseason training and the upcoming season. 

Junior starting wide receiver James Robinson said the meeting gave the team hope.

“[Pierce] really connected with us and gave us spirit,” Robinson said. “The new coaches offer us a valuable opportunity to start fresh.”

The players, including starting junior wide receiver and defensive back Max Goodman, believe the future is bright for Whitman football.

“The first thing Coach said to us was ‘drip is essential’,” Goodman said. “You could tell that everyone, especially the new coaching staff, is really buying into the team and has a good attitude.” 

Pierce said that he is counting down the days until the season begins.

“[I’ve] put years of preparation and hard work into football,” Pierce said. “I can’t wait to begin this next step in my football career.”