WINDSOR – The search for a new varsity football coach at Bertie High School has already begun.

Since veteran football boss Roy Bond decided to retire last week, Bertie Athletic Administrator Ricky Eley said the school has decided on a plan of action.

&uot;At this point, we’re taking letters of interest and resumes from in-house staff,&uot; Eley said. &uot;We will probably try to do this in-house, but if we are not sure after the in-house process, we will advertise the vacancy and seek applications from outside.&uot;

Eley said he, along with BHS Principal Elaine White and Athletic Director Marvin Rankins would review the applications and resumes and make a decision.

&uot;We could interview the candidates and, if we do, we will add a community person to that group,&uot; he said. &uot;We may, however, just make our decision based on the letters and our knowledge of the coaching staff.&uot;

Eley said he hoped to name a new football coach by April 12, if the decision is to promote from within.

The process will take longer if the school opens the applicant pool to the outside as the advertisement would probably take 30 days.

While Eley declined to give names of coaches who had or would apply, speculation centers on four in-house candidates.

Those candidates are Robert Brown, Tony Hoggard, Barry McGlone and Willie Roberson.

Roberson, the most veteran of the group, has been a member of the Bertie coaching staff on a fulltime basis since the Bill Hawkins era. He has spent the last 12 years as Defensive Coordinator.

McGlone coached under former Bertie head coaches Chip Williams and Ron Cooke and has served as head junior varsity coach and Offensive Coordinator during the Bond era.

Hoggard, a Bertie High School standout on the offensive line, played at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has served as head jayvee football coach and well as coaching the line on the varsity staff.

Brown, who has been with Bertie for nearly a decade, has served as head jayvee coach for the Falcons and is a former head varsity football coach at Columbia High School.

Three more veteran coaches at Bertie are not expected to be candidates for the job. They include Rankins, Calvin Moore and Randy Whitaker.

Rankins, who has 20-plus years as special teams coach, is currently the athletic director.

Whitaker, a former head jayvee football coach, currently directs the Falcons’ baseball fortunes.

Moore, the varsity basketball coach and head jayvee coach, is currently serving his country in Iraq and will not be back at the school for more than two years.