Booker High names new football coach

A new storm has kicked up within the Booker High Tornadoes football program.

Scottie Littles, 32, was named the head coach of the program Friday during a press conference at the school. Littles is a former Booker assistant coach who has spent six seasons as a head coach, three each at Palm Beach Central High and King's Fork High in Suffolk, Virginia. Between the two schools, Littles has compiled a 54-19 record with three district titles and two regional final appearances. Last season, Littles' Palm Beach Central team went 10-0 in the regular season and reached the regional finals before losing 34-0 to Treasure Coast High.

Littles was introduced by Stacey Tinkis, Booker High's assistant principal who is overseeing athletics. During his press conference, Littles called his arrival at Booker "a life move" and told the students and faculty in attendance that he plans to stay at the school for years to come. 

"What makes this place special (are) the relationships and the bonds that are built," Littles said. "When I first came here, I was a 23-year-old young man. And now I returned as a husband and a father and an educator and a leader of young men. I'm appreciative of this opportunity.

"I'm going to love them hard and coach them hard. I don't have a magic answer (to Booker's struggles). At the end of the day, it is a lot of hard work. It is a lot of dedication. There is going to be a standard, they are going to meet that standard, and they are going to excel. They are going to become the best versions of themselves through how we run things." 

Littles replaces Baraka Atkins, who will remain with the school as its girls weightlifting coach and track and field coach. Atkins went 4-24 over three seasons.