It’s coming up on one year since Escambia County Blue Devils athletic director and head football coach Mark Heaton took on those roles for a school that was searching for answers.

In that year, Heaton made his players take ownership in their program, made upgrades in equipment and facilities and turned around the community’s perspective.

Heaton said in his first year several good things happened to get his team on the right track.

“As a program, we have accomplished a lot,” he said. “From our facility and equipment upgrades with the help of the board, our superintendent, principal and our administration here to the people in the community. We will continue to do what we can do to make this program the best it can be with those things. The biggest thing that brought about the success that we had last year was the change in heart that these kids had. That affected their work ethic and desire to do things right.”

For more on this story see Saturday’s edition of The Atmore Advance.