Sometimes, you have to let something go before you realize how much it really means to you.
For Don Simon, it took a little bit more than 18 months for him to realize he loves coaching football more than being an athletic director.
This week, Harmony High School announced that Simon, who served as the Longhorns’ head coach from 2017-22, would return to the school in that same role – effective immediately.
The position became available when Nick Lippert stepped down earlier this week. Lippert, who arrived at Harmony with Simon as his defensive coordinator, went 5-15 in his two seasons as head coach – including a 3-7 mark this past season. Although the Longhorns displayed the same tough, gritty defense in Lippert’s eight total seasons as defensive coordinator and head coach, the team had trouble scoring points – averaging just over 10 per game for the past two seasons.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce Coach Don Simon is moving back to Harmony and will take over the head football coach responsibilities,” Hickey said. “When we announced the position, I received a call from Don and thought he was inquiring about our recently opened athletic director position. When he told me he was interested in returning as football coach, it sort of blew me away. Coach Simon said he is excited to move back to the Ranch to continue to build on the success he had here prior to becoming an athletic director. He will return teaching here after the winter break and already has plans to start winter conditioning with our student athletes.”
Simon called it an “easy choice”.
“It’s been a crazy couple of days for me and my family,” Simon said. “The last 18 months in athletic administration has been a great experience for me, but during that time, I came to the realization that I am a football coach and it’s what I want to be.”
He went on to compare the switch to his love for pickup trucks.
“I love pickups and have always owned one, but a couple of years ago I thought I would change things up and I bought a sporty Dodge Charger. I had it a little over a year and I really liked that car, but deep down inside, I knew I was a truck guy so I got rid of the Charger and got another pickup. It’s who I am and although I’ve never been afraid to try new things, including becoming an Athletic Director. But at the end of the day, I realized that I am a football coach and this is where I belong.”
Under Simon, Harmony went 34-27 in his six seasons and made two playoff appearances – including a 9-2 season and a district championship in 2018. The veteran coach believes the two years away as an athletic director will make him a better coach this time around.
“I think it helped me understand and appreciate the role of leadership plays in everything,” he said. “I believe the time away from a coaching has been beneficial in understanding that role.”
It was not the only move in Harmony athletics this month. Earlier, Athletics Director Dan Kerr stepped down to accept an administrative position with the United States Tennis Association, headquartered in Lake Nona. Under Kerr, the Longhorns have won the last four OBC All-Sports Trophies – indicative of the top overall athletic program in the county. Assistant AD Randy Schafer was elevated to the position by Hickey.
