Palm Beach Gardens didn’t look far to find its new head football coach.
Palm Beach Gardens offensive coordinator Billy Clark (right) with lineman Justen Finkley in 2015, was named the Gators’ head coach Wednesday. (Post file photo)
Gators’ offensive coordinator Billy Clark was promoted to the role Wednesday, the school confirmed.
Clark replaces Rob Freeman, who was let go last week after five seasons as head coach. Palm Beach Gardens finished 35-23 overall under Freeman, and made the playoffs in each of his five seasons.
The Gators were 5-6 this year, and advanced to the Class 8A regional semifinals.
Clark has spent the past two seasons on Freeman’s staff at Palm Beach Gardens. Prior to that, he was the offensive line coach and a recruiting coordinator and admissions counselor at two Lindenwood University campuses – one in St. Charles, Mo., and the other in Belleville, Ill.
“It is a true honor to be named the head football coach of Palm Beach Gardens High School,” Clark said. “It has always been a dream and goal of mine to be a head coach, and to be able to serve this football program.”
Clark takes over a talented Gators team that struggled this season, both on the field and off.
Palm Beach Gardens lost three of its first five games, and then had to deal with distractions involving star linebacker VanDarius Cowan, who was benched during a loss to Wellington Oct. 20 and removed from the team three days later.
But the Gators rebounded to clinch the District 9-8A runner spot, and then upset unbeaten Park Vista in the first round of the playoffs before falling to Atlantic a week later.
Clark said he hopes to create a new culture of discipline, accountability and hard work with the Gators, and he plans to put together a staff that shares those ideas.
“The tradition of football in the Palm Beach Gardens and Riviera Beach community is great, and we plan on giving back and being very involved within our schools and neighborhoods in this area,” he said.
“The student-athletes will be challenged in the classroom, in the weight room and on the practice field. To be successful as a program, we have to be better in all three phases.”
