Two-time state championship-winning football coach Joe Spatafora is leaving Union Parish for a high school coaching job in Arkansas. Spatafora says this new opportunity at Drew Central High School in Monticello, Arkansas came together in the last week.
“They didn’t know me, I didn’t know them; never heard of them before. But I learned a long time ago that everything happens for a reason. And here’s the Lord giving me an opportunity to go help myself, and restart something and help this community as well,” Spatafora explained.
Spatafora, who brought a run-first, physical style of football to Farmerville. He cherishes the relationships he built at Union Parish.
“The young men and women, that I’ve been part of their lives, I would tell you: It’s special to me, and they’re always family. Family forever,” Spatafora said.
Union Parish has won three football championships in the school’s history, Spatafora was at the helm for two of those titles in 2013 and 2023.
“It is special. And those times you share with those coaches and those kids and the community, and the faculty and the staff; there’s something you’ve got forever,” Spatafora noted.
Union Parish also finished runner-up three times with Spatafora as its head coach, 2020 to 2022. His record at U.P. was 179-74.
Union Parish assistant coach and former Arcadia head coach Demitri Carr is expected to replace Spatafora.
Comments