Strain steps down from Handley, says he is retiring from coaching
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Larry Strain’s time as the Handley head football coach has come to an end after 10 seasons.
After 10 seasons, 84 wins and two state championships, Larry Strain has stepped down from his position as head coach of the Handley football team. The school made the announcement via social media Thursday around noon, and Strain confirmed that he had informed administrators of his intent to resign.
“It was my decision. Just time to part ways and do something different,” Strain said Thursday afternoon.
Chris White, a long-time defensive coordinator alongside Strain (and also the head coach of the Handley softball team) has been named as Strain’s permanent successor according to both Handley principal Todd Cole and Roanoke City Schools superintendent Greg Foster.
Strain indicated Thursday that for him this is not just a resignation from Handley, but a retirement from coaching.
“I don’t ever see myself coaching anymore to be honest with you,” he said. “I’m getting up in years. I’ve been doing it, what, 34 years, 35 years? Sometimes it’s time to do something different.”
If so, it is the end of what will surely be a hall of fame career that saw him win multiple state titles in two different sports at two different schools. He won back-to-back championships in girls basketball at Woodland in 2013 and 2014 and then took Handley to football titles in 2016 and 2020. He also took Woodland to football state championship game appearances in 2004 and 2006 where his teams finished as the Class 2A runners up both times.
“The state championships were special, but, look, every year was special,” Strain said. “You’ve got a different group of kids every year that comes in, and you fall in love with all of them and you get close to them. That’s the special part about coaching, is being close to the kids.”
Strain’s decision comes less than a year after his daughter Courtney Screws resigned from her position as the Handley girls head basketball coach. Strain was the head boys basketball coach for two seasons before Xavier Calloway took over last season, and Strain worked as a bench assistant to Screws for those three years as well.
Strain said that not having a role as a basketball coach helped lead to the timing of his decision to step down.
“I’ve got to admit I’ve felt lost this time not being at any basketball games,” he said. “And, look, anytime after football season I feel lost anyway because you’re at so much of a breakneck pace. This is the first time I’ve gotten to go home in the afternoons for two-thirds of the year. But I don’t know that anything with Courtney had anything to do with it. Just not being around basketball.”
Strain’s career record as a head football coach is 186-122 over 26 seasons at three different schools. He spent 15 years at Woodland, one year at White Plains and 10 at Handley. He led his teams to the playoffs in 21 of those 26 seasons and won six region championships – two at Woodland and four at Handley – to go along with the two state titles at Handley.
“His commitment to the success and growth of Handley athletics has left an indelible mark on the program. The Handley Tigers will forever be grateful for his hard work and service,” read the Facebook announcement of Strain’s resignation.
This will be the second time that White takes over as head football coach for Strain. White was the head coach at White Plains for four seasons following Strain’s one year there. White then made the move to Handley for the 2019 season and was a part of the 2020 state championship run.
“He will do a great job. There’s no doubt,” Strain said. “The kids love him, and he’ll just carry right on with it. He’ll carry the program on.”
Foster echoed that thought, and emphasized the importance of continuity on the staff, not just with the head coach.
“He has a great working relationship with all the other coaches, and sometimes when you bring other coaches in they want to try and bring people in,” Foster said. “These guys have come to our community, they have worked hard and established themselves, and they want to be here. We feel like coach White has the work ethic. We feel that he can continue upon the success and keep our program headed in the right direction.”
