UCA makes Hayes new athletic director

ASHEBORO — David Hayes had a couple of different plans after leaving Providence Grove High School just a few days after the start of the official start of the high school football season.

All he needed was Plan A.

Hayes recently became the new District Athletic Director for Uwharrie Charter Academy, allowing previous AD Chris Waddell to concentrate on his administration duties and his administration career. 

Hayes, who spent last season as the Patriots’ head football coach, will now be in charge of athletics at UCA, UCA Middle School and the UCA youth sports programs.

“It’s such a unique opportunity and the way the position was created, from youth all the way to varsity sports, it’s such a cool lens to look at things through,” said Hayes, who has previously coached at PG, Asheboro, East Gaston, Trinity and Southwest Guilford high schools. “I’ve coached a lot of different sports and now I’ll actually be using my college degree.”

Hayes graduated with a Sports Management Degree from Guilford.

“We were very impressed with his coaching experience with both boys and girls, he’s coached football in the past and he has a strong background of supporting school athletes,” said UCA Assistant Superintendent Chris Wheat of the hiring of Hayes.

After leaving PG in early August, Hayes said securing the UCA position was Plan A with a return to coaching at a different high school also being considered an option. Plan A worked out very well.

Hayes, who has coached basketball, football and track at the high school level, had nothing but praise for the current administration and coaching staff at UCA.

“The culture has already been established,” Hayes said, noting the top-level programs in a number of sports. “That was here way before me and it’s going to be here way after me. 

“With everyone I talked to, there is a big picture, an investment to make things happen, whether it’s football or in other sports.”

Hayes, who began his new position earlier this week, has been spending his first few days touring the facilities.

“I’ve been in different places around here, but I haven’t been here a lot,” Hayes said. “The baseball-softball complex is really nice and I think we have the opportunity to do some things.”

Hayes is in a non-coaching position at the moment and said he took the job without any expectation of coaching football once the Eagles do begin a program. But he will be in charge of leading the process to start a football program.

UCA became a member of the Randolph County Youth Football League this year and has teams in flag football as well as the 8-U, 10-U and 12-U divisions. There are a total of 47 teams from around the area competing in those four divisions.

UCA also has basketball and indoor soccer youth programs.

“I have a lot to learn, but I have had some great ADs that I have worked with in school,” Hayes said. “I am looking forward to the challenge.”