Garvin To Lead Indians

Courtesy of VHS

Former Vidalia High School Defensive Coordinator and current Metter High School Head Coach Rodney Garvin has been chosen to lead the Vidalia Indians as the school's 22nd Head Football Coach. Garvin will become only the 9th Head Coach since 1970, after serving Metter in the same capacity since 2018. The position became available after Jason Cameron resigned earlier this month.

During Garvin's tenure in Metter, the Tigers were 52-12, with 4 Region Championships and four straight appearances in the GHSA State Playoffs, including two straight semifinal games in 2020 & 2021. The other two were Quarterfinal appearances this year and in 2019.

Garvin was the Defensive Coordinator for Vidalia under Lee Chomskis for 11 years before taking the Metter job. During his tenure in Vidalia, the Indian defense was known for being hardnosed and stingy in giving up points. In fact, Garvin's defense during his tenure at Vidalia gave up only 14.0 points per game over 110 regular season games. That tradition continued in Metter, where this year, the Tigers gave up only 147 points in 13 games while shutting out six (5 in a row) opponents, including Dublin, twice.

'Kim and I, along with Lauren, and Hayden, are absolutely fired up about coming home to Vidalia!!' said Garvin. It is an absolute honor to again be a part of the Vidalia Indian community and tradition!! I am looking forward to us developing relationships with the Vidalia kids and getting to work. I am so very thankful for the opportunity to be the Head Football coach at Vidalia High School!'

Vidalia Athletic Director Tommy Dalley said, 'We are extremely excited to welcome home Coach Garvin. He is a tremendous leader of young men and his reputation proceeds him. He is known to be a worker, a disciplinarian, and his love for Vidalia is unquestioned. He will be a tremendous asset to our athletic department both on and off the field.'

First-year Principal and Vidalia Alum Bruce Mulkey added his welcome, 'We're excited to welcome Coach Garvin and his wife, Kim, back to Vidalia. His success at Metter and his work here as a long-time assistant speak for itself. Rodney also has deep ties, and is well respected in the Vidalia community. With that, we believed he checked all the boxes in what we were looking for in a head coach.'

Coach Rodney Garvin