WINTER HAVEN — Corey Boatman — at that moment he was Winter Haven’s defensive coordinator — headed over to Lakeland Christian on July 11 to check out Hasani Harper’s Main Event Camp and meet up with other coaches. Within minutes of arriving, he learned that Carl White had joined Lakeland’s staff as quarterbacks coach and by the end of the weekend, Boatman was Winter Haven’s new head football coach.
Boatman said he was told by other coaches about White’s departure, and a call to Lakeland head coach Marvin Frazier confirmed that White had joined his staff.
“Frazier is the one that broke the news to us, and that was on Saturday around 4:30 p.m.,” Boatman said.
After a flurry of phone calls, which included the booster club, Boatman then got a call from new Winter Haven principal Ronda Cotter, who told him she would like to hire him as the Blue Devils’ new head football coach.
Boatman said she told him, “I would love for you to take the position because I know the kids believe in you, and when I first met you, I’ve seen how much you’ve done and how the admin thinks highly of you. You’re all about the student first and then checking grades and disciplinary, and you already call the defense, you’re already the associate head coach. I just think you’re the best fit.”
Cotter, he said, told her she was on vacation on Friday when she learned of White’s decision to leave and had planned to meet with Boatman on Monday when she returned.
Becoming a head coach wasn’t a top priority for Boatman.
“I’ve, had opportunities before, and I’ve watched what everybody has to go through and I’m like, you know what, I could just call a defense forever and be hidden behind the curtain and be just fine,” he said. “But the opportunity fell on my lap, and I feel like it was a blessing.”
Boatman said he put in a lot of time to get his teaching license. His decision to come to Winter Haven turned out to be a fortunate one.
“I had a bunch of offers as a DC (defensive coordinator) before I came to Winter Haven,” he said. “And you know they’re 1-9, this, this could be a really good place. The tradition used to be good. This is a good opportunity. And I met the kids. I love the kids. I just think over time, it worked out.. I think Iverthing happens for a reason, and I’m supposed to be head coach here.”
Boatman met with the players on Monday and was excited about the response. He said there are 73 players in the program. While linebacker Vario McBride and Matwain Bryant went over to Lakeland over the summer, joining DeShawn Smalls who left in the spring, Boatman said the Blue Devils didn’t lose any other players after the coaching change.
“The kids are loving it,” Boatman said. “The way we changed their practice schedule is more structured, more organized. We compete. We do a lot of things, sudden change, and they’re having a blast. We’ve had 60 kids, if not more, every single day, which is huge, and they work their butts off and they’re, they’re growing and they’re competing. The camaraderie is awesome to see, and they’re not shying away from anything. They’re, they’re embracing this new challenge, and they’re embracing us as a coaching staff, they’re embracing me as a new leader, and they’re fired up. That’s all you can ask for because the attitudes have been amazing and the work ethic has grown.”
Adding to the continuity for the program is that all but two assistant coaches have returned. Boatman brought in Adam Minggia from Lake Gibson, who will run the defense with returning assistant Brian Davis. Sean Matias will run the offense. Other returning assistant include Derek White, Jalen Ramsey and Manny Pulido.
“Right now we’ve got a pretty good staff, we’re solid, we’ve been together, we have continuity, and we’re all marching to the same beat,” Boatman said.
Boatman, 39, grew up in Cleveland, Tennessee, and graduated in 2005 from Walker Valley High School where he was an all-state quarterback and also played safety and punter. He played college football at Merville College in Tennessee.
Winter Haven is coming off a 6-5 season, improving from 1-9 in 2024, and had nearly 40 underclassmen, most of whom are returning, with just 11 seniors and have some key incoming transfers.
Boatman understands the landscape of high school athletics because of open enrollment.
“Our goal is this to build great men, but our overall goal is to make Winter Haven the destination that everybody wants to be at, not a platform, not here for a year or two to get highlights,” he said. “Our, our overall goal as an administration, as a community, as a school, is that Winter Haven is where you want to be at for your destination because that’s how good we are and not just athletically, academically too, and how we raise your young men and women to be great people of the world. So our overall goal is to make Winter Haven the place you want to be at because of what we, what we’ve established.”
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Here’s how Corey Boatman became Winter Haven’s new football coach
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger | USA TODAY Network
