For 15 years this field has been his life.
He cut the grass, painted the field for game day and watched his boys grow up in a Stroud blue uniform making plays on it.
This 100 yards of grass has been a major part of his life, but not anymore.
Stroud Head Football Coach Chris Elerick will step down as the head coach and history teacher and will be starting the 2020-2021 school year as the Special Projects Director.
From testing and curriculum to alignment and landscape management, Elerick will have a variety of roles and tasks.
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “There’s a lot of hats that I’ll be wearing.”
Elerick said he is looking forward to the new challenges within his new position and being able to make a difference in a new way.
“I’m pretty big on having something to look forward too,” he said. “So, I’m definitely looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to the opportunity of just being a dad for a while without the stresses and pressures of being a coach.”
After graduating from University of Central Oklahoma with a bachelors degree in History Education, Elerick began his career as a head football coach at the age of 23 at Yale Public Schools.
After eight years, he moved his small family to Stroud, where he has coached for the last 15 years.
“I would like to thank, profoundly thank, the community for trusting me, not just with the program, but also their kids,” he said.
During his time as the head football coach, Elerick led the Tigers to win the District Championships nine times, won Region 2 Coach of the Year four times, won District Coach of the Year eight times and broke the record for the number of football games won and became the winningest coach in Stroud football history.
“That was pretty humbling,” he said. “That’s something I’m proud of.”
Since 1964, Stroud High School has only had five head football coaches. Elerick said it’s feels amazing to be a part of that legacy.
“That is one of the things I’m so proud of because that’s so rare,” he said. “To be part of that, to have my name mentioned with those other guys is pretty cool.”
After spending years on the sidelines of the field and by the sides of his fellow coaches and teammates, Elerick said he doesn’t have one favorite memory.
“It’s really hard to narrow down a favorite memory or moment,” he said. “Especially when you’ve had the opportunity to coach your own kids. This has been what my family has done, Stroud football.”
Elerick said he had his breakthrough in 2007 when the Stroud Tigers won the 2007 District Championships.
“After that we were really dominant for a long time, but until then we really struggled.” he said.
On one hand, Elerick said this new position makes him feel lighter. Whether it’s communicating with students or contacting vendors, Elerick said he’s not always having to make decisions.
“In a sense, I’m more relaxed,” he said. “There’s not all that stuff on my plate.”
However, on the other hand, Elerick said he already misses it.
“It’s who you are,” he said. “It’s part of you.”
Elerick said he’s going to miss walking out on the field before the game, tapping up ankles, the long bus rides home, the rivalry between towns and feeling the cool air of fall creep in as a subtle reminder it’s football season.
At the end of it all, Elerick said he has no regrets and is proud of the work that was done by him and his team.
The first practice for next season is August 10 with new head coach, Josh Presley.
Presley has been coaching as the Defensive Coordinator and has been at Stroud schools for 13 years.