Veteran soccer coach David Day was named Tuesday to the vacant position as leader of the Harlan County High School boys soccer program, succeeding Tommy Key.
Among his more than 30 years of coaching experience are the five years he spent between 2016 and 2020 as the first head coach of the fledgling HCHS girls program, where he led the Lady Bears to a winning record in each of his five seasons and three straight 13th Region Tournament appearances.
“I’m looking forward to working with the men’s team,” Day said. “They have a lot of potential from what I can see, due in part to the great job Coach Key did while he was their head coach.
“I’m really happy to be back in the Harlan County school system as a coach. (Principal) Kathy Napier and (Athletic Director) Eugene Farmer are incredible to work with, and Superintendent (Brett Johnson) has been a big supporter of the soccer program since day one.”
In 2005, Day became the first boys soccer coach at Letcher County Central, where he compiled an overall record of 18-14-2 in his two years at the helm, including the school’s first 16th Region Tournament appearance in 2006.
Day compiled an overall record of 37-23-3 in his five seasons at HCHS, leading the Lady Bears to the 50th District Tournament championship game in each of his first three seasons. A first-round win over Bell County in 2017 marked the first 50th District Tournament win in school history.
Prior to the five years he led the Lady Bears, Day built a solid coaching resume that includes stops at Baumholder American High School in Baumholder, Germany, Fort Knox International (U19 FC), and Central High School in Wise, Va.
For the past four years, Day has served as head coach of a Wise County, Va., U19 travel team, and veteran HCHS standouts Luther Gross and Austin Tye said they are looking forward to working under the tutelage of the veteran coach.
“I’m very excited for (Coach Day) to work with us,” said Gross, the Black Bears’ senior captain who scored 27 goals last season. “I can’t wait to see what he can teach all of us.”
Tye, a junior, agreed, adding, “I’m excited to see what coach Day brings to the table. I look forward to this season.
Day will make his debut at the helm when the Black Bears open their season Aug. 13 at home against Shelby Valley.
