Head football coach out at Cheyenne

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009 | 4:34 p.m.

Charles Anthony is out as coach of Cheyenne's football team.

Anthony, who led the Desert Shields to a 42-12 record in his five-year tenure, said he was fired by school administrators Wednesday.

"I'm no longer the coach at Cheyenne," Anthony said. "I was told they wanted to go in a different direction."

Messages left for Cheyenne's administrators were not immediately returned. Anthony said he butted heads with administration the past three years.

Cheyenne went 10-2 this fall and was defeated 37-36 by Bishop Gorman in the Sunset Regional semifinals. In 2007, it also lost to Gorman in the semifinals despite leading 16-0 at halftime and was held scoreless against Palo Verde in the 2006 regional finals.

"I had a great group of kids," Anthony said. "They were hard-working and would do anything for you."

Anthony, a 1987 Western graduate, started his coaching career at his alma mater in 2001 and spent three years with the Warriors before leaving for Cheyenne.

He grew up near Cheyenne — which opened in 1991 — and calls it his community school. The job was a dream come true, he said.

"I grew up in that community and my mother still lives over there," Anthony said. "It's tough to accept that I can't coach in my community anymore."

Anthony said he will enjoy the free time with his family but wants to return to coaching before next fall.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected].