David Bennett was formally introduced as the new athletic director at Socastee High School. The former Coastal Carolina football coach replaces Roger Dixon, who is retiring from the post. Bennett, who received a $925,000 buyout after his dismissal from the Chanticleers football program, has not closed the door completely on returning to the sidelines as a football coach, but didn't want to sit around and wait for a job to come.
"Before I'm a football coach, I want to be a good husband, I want to be a good Dad," Bennett said at his press conference. "So that's why we're here at Socastee High and I know each night I'll be putting my head on a pillow in Horry County." Bennett's son, Jeb, is a junior at Conway High.
Bennett is eager to tackle the challenge of running the Braves athletic department. Bennett joked that he asked who the marketing director, sports information director and gameday management person was and realized that it all falls on his shoulders. He called it an honor and privelge to be hired by Horry County schools. North Myrtle Beach athletic director Joe Quigley will be his mentor as he goes through his first year at Socastee.
"Year two, year three, I don't know, I can't look that far into the future," Bennett said talking about his commitment level to Socastee. "It's like Coastal, I thought I was going to coach there until I was done. You don't know what the future holds."
