Dexter Washington said he is stepping down as Hamilton Christian head football coach to focus on leading the school’s basketball program and athletic department.

Washington is the school’s athletic director and head basketball coach. For the past two seasons, he also led the football program, stepping in after Jules Sullen left the school to take a job at McNeese State.

Washington said he stayed on board this year to avoid having the school’s senior class start over with a new coach. With a young team returning next year, he said he wants a younger coach to take over the program.

In two seasons as coach, the Warriors went 11-6 and earned two playoff berths. Hamilton went 7-3 this season, earning a share of the District 4-1A title along with Grand Lake and Basile.

Washington said he stepped in after Sullen to give the program continuity.

“I was the athletic director and we had kids that had seen so many coaches, I was the one constant for them, so I went to the principal and said I could handle it,” he said.

“I had been a coordinator. My plan was to get good assistants and manage the program. We put together a competitive team that season. This year we had some kids with a chance to move on to the next level. I didn’t want them to have to start over with a new coach who wanted to do things a new way, so I did one more year.”

Washington said his focus will shift to making the Warriors competitive in all sports.

“Now it is time for me to step away and become the athletic director because there are so many programs that I want to get started here,” he said. “I see all our athletics becoming real good. Our girls basketball is on the way up. We are bringing in a new volleyball coach. Our track program had a good year last year. My goal is to get softball and soccer started.”

Washington said the school will likely seek candidates through January.

“My objective is to find a young, energetic coach, a guy that runs up and down the sidelines, gets everyone fired up,” he said.

“It is the perfect time to bring someone new in and build Hamilton football.

Someone that can stay up all night watching film and dedicate all their time to football. I want someone that can give the same attention to football that the other sports get. I love building programs, and I have the opportunity to do that from behind my desk right now.”

Washington said his time on the sidelines was enjoyable.

“It was a fun ride; I love football,” he said. “Being able to make the final decision on some things was great. I loved the competitiveness of it, the opportunity to sit at a board and do the X’s and O’s, study film and the opportunity to reestablish the glory years at Hamilton. I think I am leaving the program in a good place. We had a middle school team for the first time in 10 years. It was the talk of the school; we had good crowds at our home games on campus. Our weight room is being completed. We are headed in the right direction.”