Why Green Sea Floyds’ success should have been expected given coach Kiefer’s track record
Calling Donnie Kiefer a program builder is a bit of an understatement.
Actually, it’s a large understatement, evident by the quick turnaround the coach has made at Green Sea Floyds in his third season.
The Trojans (10-1) have been among the cream of the crop in Class A all season, ranking in the top three all year after entering the season with a bullseye on their backs as the defending state champions.
As far as Class A goes, Green Sea Floyds might just be the best, evident by its narrow loss to a strong Aynor team this season and its absolute demolition of St. John’s in the second round of the playoffs last week. The Trojans can, and have, played with any classification, showing that coaching and discipline can take the place of large numbers and depth.
But, not long ago, Green Sea Floyds football was a forgettable experience, attended by hometown fans but not a big ticket by any means. On the radar in the state of South Carolina football, the Trojans were perhaps known better for who they played rather than how they played.
Kiefer has changed the perception of the school and the town.
A quick look back at the Green Sea Floyds record book tells the story of what Kiefer inherited when taking over the program in 2017. Previously, a 6-6 record was considered a successful season, with years of 3-7, 0-9, 1-8, 3-7 and so on filling the memories of Trojan fans.
In fact, in Kiefer’s two-plus seasons, he’s put 26 wins together for Green Sea Floyds. The previous seven seasons saw only 20 combined wins.
Looking at Kiefer’s track record, a Green Sea Floyds turnaround should have been as obvious as the sun rising in the east. In his tenure in North Carolina, Kiefer won 224 games while taking programs like Central Cabarrus and Tuscola for deep runs in the playoffs.
While his coaching prowess gets much of the credit, Kiefer’s background in powerlifting is a key component to his success. The North Carolina Powerlifting and Strength Sports Hall of Famer has worked with Davidson College, East Carolina University and countless high schools to help athletes produce better results on the field by using weight training off it.
Even working with a smaller group of players in Class A, Kiefer has transformed the players at Green Sea Floyds by adding strength, weight, and speed in the offseason.
As important as training can be for a football season, Kiefer’s success has coincided with a stellar group of athletes coming through the Green Sea Floyds pipeline. Players like Jaquan Dixon, Anwain Graham, Aaron Graham and Bubba Elliott don’t come along every year, while the likes of Ethan Damron and AJ Campbell have provided leadership and accountability for the program.
It takes a special group of players to come together following a state championship, the first in Green Sea Floyds football history, and continue to play as if they have yet to accomplish anything in their careers. Even the celebrations following the Trojans’ first region title in school history, coming this season, were subdued when you consider the magnitude of the moment for a program that has just started to taste success.
Perhaps, like all great programs, the Green Sea Floyds football team has taken on the demeanor of its leader. The Trojans have a workmanlike style that gets the job done time and time again without showing up their opponents. Following last week’s 65-0 win over St. John’s, Kiefer expressed remorse in the final score and his team scoring so many points, even after pulling his starters at halftime.
Kiefer will look to continue the Trojans’ march back to Columbia with a visit from C.E. Murray in the third round of the Class A playoffs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Friday’s Games
Class 5A State Quarterfinals
Goose Creek at Carolina Forest, 7:30 p.m.
Class 4A State Quarterfinals
Airport at Myrtle Beach, 7:30 p.m.
Class A State Quarterfinals
C.E. Murray at Green Sea Floyds, 7:30 p.m.