New East Laurens football head coach isn't so new after all

New East Laurens football head coach Chris Robinson has been on the Falcons' sideline for five years, flanked by Buddy Sorrow and other head coaches.

After months battling a bacterial infection, Sorrow resigned as the head coach in January, and as his parting gift, he recommended East Laurens' defensive coordinator, Robinson, as his replacement.

"He is not only a good football coach. He's a good man, a good daddy, a good father, husband," Sorrow said. "He's just a good Christian man."

Robinson has been coaching football for 20 years. He started coaching in Tennessee and spent time at several other schools before joining the staff East Laurens and eventually working with Sorrow.

"I really enjoyed working for him and I learned a lot from him," Robinson said.

Robinson's wife Kristin teaches at East Laurens Primary, and his three children all go to school nearby. Robinson described the community as "a tight-knit, family atmosphere."

"The community supports not just the football program but everything that goes on in school," Robinson said.

Robinson started at East Laurens as the girls soccer head coach and defensive coordinator for the football team.

"I've really enjoyed my time ­doing both," he said.

He said he has an advantage coaching at East Laurens because he knows the players and what they can do. He has seen players step up when teammates were injured, and he knows that many younger players were on the field last year. The Falcons started off with four straight wins, but then lost their final six.

"So, hopefully the kids that have had to play, that were forced on the field Friday nights, have the playing experience that'll benefit us now that they're a year older," Robinson said.

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 9:39 PM with the headline "New East Laurens football head coach isn't so new after all ."