Breaking News! South Lakes Hires Former Park View Football Coach Andy Hill

(Feb. 24, 2010) - South Lakes High School has reached across the border to hire Park View High School head football coach Andy Hill, who stepped down from the Patriot program last month to pursue other job opportunities.

The AAA Liberty District Seahawks were seeking a coach after John Ellenberger was let go after six seasons at South Lakes where his teams went 17-45, including a 5-6 and Division 5 playoff appearance last fall. Three of the six losses were by five points or fewer.

"I'm excited. It is the right mix at the right time," said Hill. "I think there is a lot of talent there and the community is ready for a next-level football program. I feel fortunate that they chose me."

Hill is scheduled to meet with the South Lakes players after school this coming Monday and then will hold a parents meeting later that week.

Linda Jones, Director of Student Activities, in announcing the hiring: "Coach Hill is a proven winner and will do an excellent job with our football program."

Hill took over at Park View five years ago when Briar Woods opened and Patriot coach Charlie Pierce left Park View for the new school. In those five seasons, Park View went 35-21 and made the playoffs four times. Twice Park View made it to the regional finals including this past season.

Perhaps the most memorable two-week period of Hill's tenure were back-to-back games at Broad Run in 2007 when the Spartans and Patriots met in the final week of the regular season with 9-0 records and then again the next week in the opening round of the Region II Division 4 playoffs. While Broad Run won to finish 10-0 in the first of the two meetings, Park View got its revenge the following week, winning the game late on a trick play. That loss is Broad Run only loss since the start of the 2007 season.

"Coach Hill brings a wealth of experience and excitement to the position. He is thorough and a detailed planner. He is a student of the game and has a positive impact on student-athletes," said South Lakes principal Bruce Butler in the Seahawks release on the hiring.

Hill said his decision to leave Park View wasn't easy, but it was one that was made after a lot of thought and consideration.

"I have had a great time here at Park View over the past five years, and while I have matured and grown professionally in this experience, the most difficult part of the decision was leaving the student-athletes that make up our program," said Hill.

Hill's decision came down to a personal desire to seek a new challenge and it appears he has found that in Reston where the Seahawks, thanks to recent boundary changes in Fairfax, are welcoming a new influx of talent.

Breaking News! Park View Football Coach Andy Hill Resigns, Exploring Other Options

(Jan. 15, 2010) - Park View High School football coach Andy Hill, became the second high profile local coach to step down this week, as he announced Friday that he has resigned from the Patriot program.

While speculation has Hill possibly taking over at two-time defending state champion Broad Run in Ashburn, where Mike Burnett announced this week he has left for soon-to-be-opened Tuscarora in Leesburg, Hill stressed that he does not have another position spoken for and is exploring possibilities including taking a year off from coaching or accepting another position out of the area, even out of the state.

Here is a letter Hill released to the Patriot football community:

Hello Park View Football Community -

Later today - at 4:00 p.m. in the weight room - I will be meeting with our kids to let them know that I have stepped down as the football coach at Park View High School. This was not an easy decision, but it was one that was made after a lot of thought and consideration. I have had a great time here at Park View over the past five years, and while I have matured and grown professionally in this experience, the most difficult part of the decision was leaving the student-athletes that make up our program.

My decision came down to my personal desire to seek a new challenge. Contrary to the internet speculation or popular rumors - which have me headed off to any one of several schools or colleges - I have not made a decision about where my next step will be. It is quite possible that I would take a year off from coaching and focus on finishing my Masters degree program, but my desire is to take on a new challenge within coaching. This may take me to the AAA level or even out of state. While I am exploring the options to determine what the best fit might be, I am honest in telling you that nothing is locked into place. I will be addressing specific rumors with the kids, but otherwise I'm going to avoid adding to the speculation.

The timing for my decision is for one simple reason, and that is to try to do right by the kids and the program. If I waited until the middle of February or early March to move to a new position, and therefore held up the process to replace me, that would have hurt the program. When I submitted my resignation to Dr. Minshew and Mr. Breinig, I expressed that my intent was to allow them to start the process of finding a successor immediately, and they have started the process. To leave a job without having committed to another one may not be the best professional decision, but I wanted to leave PV in the best position I can.

I realize that this news may not sit well at first, but I hope you can come to understand that this was a personal decision centered on my own professional growth. The hard part about the player/coach dynamic is that from the time a player enters high school there is a targeted graduation date to move on to the next step, but with coaches our stay is often assumed to be unending. I am simply also moving on to a new challenge within my own life. I love the PV program and will forever cherish the time and memories here. I wish nothing but the best of luck and continued success for our kids and the program, and I will work towards this end until a new coach takes over.


Hill took over at Park View five years ago when Briar Woods opened and Patriot coach Charlie Pierce left Park View for the new school. In those five seasons, Park View went 35-21 and made the playoffs four times. Twice Park View made it to the regional finals including this past season.

Perhaps the most memorable two-week period of Hill's tenure were back-to-back games at Broad Run in 2007 when the Spartans and Patriots met in the final week of the regular season with 9-0 records and then again the next week in the opening round of the Region II Division 4 playoffs. While Broad Run won to finish 10-0 in the first of the two meetings, Park View got its revenge the following week, winning the game late on a trick play. That loss is Broad Run only loss since the start of the 2007 season.