Football: Centaurus coach Andy Hampton steps down after six seasons

Andy Hampton, the football coach responsible for leading Centaurus High School to its best season in more than a decade in 2023, is stepping down after six seasons, citing family reasons.

Hampton took over the program just as it was moving up to the 4A classification in 2018. He guided the Warriors through the pandemic, and eventually to their first league championship since 2010 in the fall. They finished 8-3, winning seven straight and claiming the 4A I-25 League title before bowing out to Windsor in the playoffs. It was their first winning season since 2015.

“It all kind of came together,” Hampton said, reflecting on his final season at the helm. “We were fortunate this year to stay healthy, because in the past years that hadn’t always been the case.”

Adding, “the perseverance and staying the course and getting that buy-in from the community and players, it’s nice to see some pay off from that. I’m happy where we took the program. I think the next big step, there’s some more bricks to be laid. But we laid a solid foundation the last few years.”

Hampton said the decision to step away is to prioritize his family. Namely his children, who he said will be 11 and 9 this spring, and who are getting involved in more after-school sports and activities. “I didn’t want to miss this period of time,” he said.

Hampton said he plans to stay around the Centaurus community, helping the school in any capacity he can. He believes whoever his successor is will enjoy it, too.

“Getting the word out that once people get involved in the Centaurus community, they really like it. They love Centaurus,” Hampton said. “Making our program known and somewhere where kids want to be, and where parents want to send their kids, is a huge thing.”

Centaurus athletic director Karl Buck, who took over as the school’s assistant principal and AD in July, said the job opening was posted Wednesday. He hopes to have a hire by early February.

“We want someone similar to Andy, who puts relationships with kids first and foremost,” Buck said. “We want someone who wants to help continue the work of growing the program and being successful. But with all of our coaches, with football not being the exception, we want all our coaches to be focused on those relationships with kids, with our community and continuing the work Andy and his staff has done.”