Legendary Football Coach Steps Down In Southington

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Citing a desire to spend more time with his sons, Southington High School's legendary championship-winning football coach announced Wednesday night he is stepping down.

"It is with a heavy heart that I am making the decision to step down as the head football coach at Southington High School," wrote Mike Drury, whose SHS Blue Knights recently lost in the CIAC football playoffs.

He made his announcement via "X" (formerly Twitter).

"There are only two reasons why this decision was made and their names are George and Murphy, my two sons who need more of their dad during these stages of their lives," Drury wrote.

Drury's resignation ends a wildly successful, 14-year reign in SHS football history.

A special education teacher at SHS who lives in Bristol with his wife and family, Drury's most successful years were 2013 and 2014, when his Blue Knights won Class LL state titles.

In 2013, Drury was named New Haven Register's state coach of the year and, in 2014, he earned a similar honor with the Walter Camp Foundation after SHS finished number one in Connecticut.

In his message to the SHS community, Drury reflected on his tenure coaching football and thanked everyone he's been associated with during that time in his life.

"The past 14 years have been one of the greatest experiences I could have ever asked for," he wrote. "It has shaped a significant part of my personal and professional life."

Drury also had a message to his current players, who will have a new coach next year.

"To our current players, the work is ahead of you," he wrote. "It is time to get after it."

For more information on Southington High School football, click on this link.