Kelly football coach Kenneth Riedinger resigns

High school football starts in less than two months across the state, and the Kelly football program will be under the direction of a new coach when it begins.

Kenneth Riedinger, who started the Hawks' football program four years ago, submitted his official resignation Thursday and said the decision came about due to "a difference of opinion with the administration" in regards to the direction of the football program.

"My wife and I have kind of run everything football here for the past four years," Riedinger said. "We were passionate about it and loved it. Up until recently, we had planned on staying here until we retired. We were just put in a situation where you either live on your knees or die on your feet, and we were going to fight for the program and do what was right for the program."

Riedinger publicly announced his decision to resign Monday on the Kelly Hawks Football Facebook page, stating, "Please respect the fact that I will not go into any details with the public. My family and I want to thank this wonderful community and most importantly my boys!!! ... Don't get caught up in any of the garbage; just promise me you will play!!!"

Within five hours, the post had more than 50 shares, 60 likes and an outpouring of support for Kelly's first and only football coach.

"He's brought this town together, especially the football parents and the community, from the very first game on. That whole stadium was packed," said Tom Romano, whose stepson, Jacob Black, played for the Hawks last season. "He's really brought this town together. ... I'm in sales, and my wife works full-time. So football brought us into the community, too. I'm not surprised at the outpouring. I'm just surprised at what happened."

Romano and his wife, Kimberly, were living in Benton four years ago and were prepared to move to a school district in order to accommodate their son's desire to play football before the Kelly school board approved the startup of a football program in the spring of 2010. Riedinger went to work by recruiting the hallways and starting weekly football information sessions.

Thanks to the coach's commitment to building a team in the weight room, Romano said he's watched his son transform into a reliable defensive end and tight end.

"He's 6-foot-4 and can deadlift 365 pounds. Two years ago, he was defensive player of the year," Romano said about Black, who will be a senior this fall. "He's outgoing. He's friendly. He's happy. He wants to be a personal trainer. Football has changed his life."

Riedinger said he resigned on his own accord and would've begun the football season as coach.

"I don't want to throw anybody under the bus, but we want to leave with character and class like we came. And we don't want to pit anybody against anyone, but we have enjoyed starting a football program somewhere," Riedinger said. "We just wish it was as important to the powers that be as it was to us."

Riedinger also coached track and field at Kelly, leading the boys team to a fourth-place finish in May at the Class 2 state meet in Jefferson City, Missouri. He planned to notify his players of his decision at a football camp this week but said the school decided not to host the camp.

"I didn't get to talk to them face to face like I wanted to because that was the last opportunity we were going to be able to have to get them together, but we have private Facebook messaging. I told them to stop by and we could talk and do that sort of stuff," Riedinger said. "I wanted to do it face to face, but the circumstances kept me from doing that."

The Hawks took part in their inaugural varsity football season last year under Riedinger's direction and wrapped up the season with a 4-6 mark.

"It's been my baby, and that's what's been so hard about leaving," said Riedinger, who also served as athletic director during his time at Kelly. "The community has just been phenomenal, and we love that. That's one of the things that we're really going to miss, the support and the kids. They're just awesome."

Riedinger spent two seasons as head coach at Kennett before taking over at Kelly in 2011. He said he plans on continuing his coaching endeavors at Lonoke High School in Lonoke, Arkansas.

"A friend of mine called me and has always tried to hire me and get me down there with him. We've just kept contact. He was an assistant coach of mine at Kennett High School, and he just called and gave me a really good opportunity," Riedinger said. "I felt like with the situations that were in place that it was probably an opportunity that I shouldn't pass up knowing what I knew."

Kelly athletic director Rhonda Ratledge said a school board meeting is scheduled for today, during which more details regarding the program's immediate future will likely be determined.

Multiple phone calls to the Kelly school district went unanswered Monday afternoon and additional attempts to reach superintendent Fara Jones, the administrator responsible for addressing personnel changes according to a message from principal Dan Hecht, were unsuccessful.