South Walton’s Kevin Craig set to retire at the end of 2021 season
SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. (BVM) – Coach Kevin Craig will get to let his vocal cords rest when the South Walton girls 2021-22 basketball season comes to an end.
Craig will be leaving behind a legacy that truly speaks for itself, ending a career that has over 800 wins, a total of 24 playoff appearances, nine Final Four appearances, along with three state titles. Two of them come from when Craig coached the Fort Walton Beach Lady Vikings in 1994 and 1999. His last title came in 2013 with the South Walton Seahawks.
Craig’s magnificent coaching career also includes Hall of Fame inductions with the Florida High School Athletic Association, Florida Association of Basketball Coaches and All Sports Association.
The Hall of Fame coach started his coaching career for the Fort Walton Beach Vikings in 1979. Criag’s career wouldn’t start with girls basketball, as the long-time coach got his first opportunity leading the boys junior varsity basketball and football teams.
Just two short years later in 1981, Craig was at the helm of the Vikings girls basketball program, which he figured would be just a quick stop in his journey. It was actually the start of his monumental and influential coaching career in the Panhandle.
Craig embarked on a 22-year coaching journey that ended with two state titles at his first stop in Fort Walton Beach. A change of scenery would come, but Craig’s time in the area would continue.
Craig traveled 30 miles over the Destin pass and down US–98 East towards his new home, South Walton High School.
When Craig arrived at South Walton 17 years ago, the school was only in its second year of operation. That did not matter to the future Hall of Fame coach. Craig took his fiery and tough–love passion to the hardwood in South Walton and changed the culture, turning around a program that went 0-23 the year before he arrived, to a district powerhouse in nine short years as head coach of the Lady Seahawks.
In 2013, Craig led the Lady Seahawks to their first and school’s only basketball state title. He’s gone on to make the playoffs in 24 of his 37 years as head coach. Impressive when considering that the district runner-up didn’t make the regional playoffs before 1994.
South Walton coach Kevin Craig is the Class 1A Coach of the Year. Craig led Seahawks to first state title in school history.
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) April 16, 2013
Craig’s no nonsense culture is one that encourages players to push themselves to set their standards high both on and off the court. Craig himself appears to live by those same standards as he is continuously inspiring those around him. Despite the level of the team, his coaching methods have the ability to make any team rise.
As for what is next for the Hall of Fame coach, that is to be determined. The South Walton coach will however be leaving behind a coaching legacy that will be remembered forever.
