New ECS superintendent committed to winning

New Enterprise City Schools Superintendent Dr. Zel Thomas sat down with The Sun last week and discussed his goals for the the school’s athletic program.

Enterprise High School has traditionally been known as a “football school” and Thomas said he wanted to see the Wildcat football team continue to win, but he said EHS is much more than that.

“We’re not just football and I think that might be the perception but we want to win at everything,” Thomas said. “We just want to be the best we can be. We want to win and no one likes to lose.

“We want to win at everything because we want our kids to have those successes. If you win a state championship or a region championship that is something you will never forget. If you have those successes it improves your overall outlook at school.”

While Thomas said that he’s most focused on academics, he looks at sports and all extracurricular activities as an important tool to keep kids coming to and engaged in school.

“That’s the benefit and why it is so important,” Thomas said. “Extracurriculars are that magnet and a draw for a lot of kids, whether that be band or sports or JROTC or theater or art or anything else.

“If we can get them to the high school there is probably a niche they can fit into. My main focus in academics, that is my bread and butter, but all of our extracurriculars are important. Our No. 1 objective is to educate them and everything else is a tool to get our kids educated. Some kids – whether it be band or athletics – are able to use those tools as their way out to a brighter future, though. So, it is very important.”

Enterprise’s boys basketball team enjoyed it’s most successful season in school history this past year and Thomas said that it is important to keep on talented coaches like Rhett Harrelson and football coach Rick Darlington and the others on the Enterprise coaching staff in Enterprise long term.

“We want everyone here for the long haul and (Rhett) is an Enterprise native, too,” Thomas said. “I remember watching him play as a young player. You always love it when they come back home.

“We want to be the best and to be the best you have to hire the best and retain the best. I’m looking forward to him and our other coaches having much more success here.”