Latta steps down, Keith steps in as Providence Christian coach

Providence Christian football has been led by Emory Latta since its inception as a junior high team in 2004 and transition into varsity football in 2006.

That is now changing.

The only head coach in Eagle history is stepping aside, deciding it was “the right time,” and Kenny Keith, Providence’s defensive coordinator the last seven years, will become the program’s second head coach.

Latta will remain as the Head of School at Providence Christian, a first grade to 12 th grade school, and will continue his role this spring as the head golf coach.

In addition to coaching at Providence, Latta was also the head coach at Northview from 1998-2001. He served as an assistant coach for 12 years at Dothan High, his alma mater, and one year at Daleville prior to that.

“It was the right time,” Latta said. “I prayed about it a lot, talked to my family and to some people that I listen to. It has been a process going on for several weeks. I prayed about it and I feel it is time to move forward.

“I know it is time to let somebody else do it. It is the right thing.”

In making the move, Latta said it would “allow me to focus full attention on the entire school” during the fall, something he wasn’t able to fully do because of football.

Keith, a 20-year coaching veteran, including his seven years as Providence’s defensive coordinator, was “humbled” at the chance to direct the Eagle program.

“First of all, I am very humbled at being able to have the opportunity to do the job,” Keith said. “I feel a lot about coach Latta. He is a great guy and a great man. I appreciate the opportunity he and the board have given me.

“I love football, but I look at this as another tool to help grow these young men into good Christian men.”

Keith played at Charles Henderson in Troy and was a part of the Trojans’ 1980 state championship team under Jay Jeffcoat. He began his coaching career at Charles Henderson in 1991, serving first as wide receivers coach before moving to defensive backs coach.

After five years at CHHS, he left to become defensive backs coach at Columbus (Ga.) High School. He spent one year there before returning to the Wiregrass, coaching four years at Geneva County High School then three years at Rehobeth, serving as defensive coordinator at both places.

Keith then joined Latta’s staff at Providence Christian when the football program became a junior varsity team in 2005. The Eagles started varsity play the year after in 2006 and Keith has been defensive coordinator all six seasons.

Latta said having Keith taking over as head coach was a key part of his decision.

“A lot of it had to do with the fact that Kenny will take over,” Latta said. “He has been with me for seven years and he will do a great job.

“Things are established already. Obviously, he will have an opportunity to put his own signature on the program, but we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can move forward from where we are at right now and not miss a beat. He fits the philosophy we have here at Providence.”

It will be Keith’s first head coaching job in football, but he has been a head coach before, guiding the Geneva County varsity boys basketball team and serving as a junior high and junior varsity head coach at several other places.

Under Latta’s guidance, Providence built a foundation, starting as a junior high program then junior varsity then varsity.

In six years of varsity play with Latta at the top, the Eagles were 36-29 with four state playoff teams. PCS finished .500 or better in five of the six seasons, capped by an 8-4 season and a win in the playoffs in 2010.

“We had a reasonable measure of success and that is satisfying for sure,” Latta said.

This past year, Providence finished 7-4. The Eagles lost only five seniors off last year’s team, leaving a strong nucleus for Keith in his first year.

Keith said he doesn’t plan to make a lot of changes, considering the program’s solid status.

“We are going to continue pretty much the way we have been doing things,” Keith said. “I talked to the kids and told them there will not be big changes. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it is the way I look at it.

“I feel under coach Latta, the program was heading in the right direction and I plan to keep it going that way. It will be business as usual.”

Latta admitted he will miss football, but felt the Eagle program was in good shape with Keith taking over.

“I will miss the day-to-day part of football, but at the same time I know it is in capable hands with him (Keith),” Latta said, adding coaching football was “a labor of love” to him.

Clay Howell, chairman of the Providence Christian School Board, in a memo released to the media, thanked Latta for his service as coach and said the school was looking forward to Keith’s tenure.

“We appreciate the time and energy Emory has devoted to establishing this vital part of the co-curricular life of PCS, and we are pleased to have him continue as the Head of School,” Howell said in the memo. “We particularly appreciate his lasting impact in the lives of the young men he has coached. And we recognize it is this same desire to impact lives for Christ through classical and Christian education that enables Emory to be a very fine Head of School for PCS.

“Both Emory and the school board believe the football program is healthy and well-established, and that the opportunity exists to fill the head coaching position with a man who fully understands the Providence philosophy regarding competitive athletics from a Biblical perspective. These combined factors are key reasons we believe the Lord is preparing the way for new and exciting things for our students.”