The coaching staff at TRHS gained two coaches this year, Coach Jeff Harrelson and Coach Michele Burton. Harrelson, who teaches math, will be an assistant coach for boys’ football and basketball. Burton joins the TRHS physical education department and will be coaching girls’ tennis.

Coach Harrelson began his coaching career at JL Mann High School in 1995 before moving to Berea High School in 1998 and Mauldin High School in 2010, which means that Harrelson brings over twenty years of coaching experience to TRHS. And it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s joined us, considering the fact he is not the first Harrelson to coach at TRHS. His father, George Harrelson, retired two years ago after a long and distinguished teaching and coaching career at Travelers Rest. While retired from teaching, George Harrelson continues to coach football and boys tennis at TRHS. Coach Jeff Harrelson says it has “been a pleasure” to work alongside his father on the football staff.

And the students love their new coach. “Coach Harrelson has made a positive impact on the football program at TRHS,” senior Grayson Hightower says.

Meanwhile Coach Burton joins the physical education department at TRHS after coaching cheerleading at Eastside High School and in the Charleston, S.C. area for several years. She participated in various sports as a student athlete including: competitive cheerleading, club volleyball, and softball. She won an individual All-American Award in the sport of cheerleading and has participated on several region championship squads.

Although Burton has extensive cheerleading experience, her main priority at TRHS will be strengthening the tennis program, which she plans to do through promotion, advertisement, and recruitment. The tennis team welcomes Coach Burton and her coaching style. “It’s always hard when someone new comes along, but Coach Burton is so supportive for our team that it makes it so much easier to love her,” says junior Zayn DeAndrade. Burton treats her teams like a family and believes that respect, support, encouragement, and positive team morale is vital to the success of the unit. Her philosophy is that “whatever you do in life be great at it! Do not settle for being just mediocre.”