SALEM, Va. (WFXR) — The Salem High School football program is one of the best in the state. Their 10 state championships are second all-time in the state. Three head coaches are part of those titles including current head coach and Army veteran Don Holter.
For Holter, when you see him on the field, he looks like an Army general in command of his troops. As for his time in the Army, he wouldn’t have it any other way to prepare him for this moment.
“I have gone off to play college football at Virginia Tech. That had played its course so I had joined the Army,” said Holter.
Coach Holter said there are some similarities between serving in the Army and being in charge of a high school football program.
“Like football, there are 66 jobs counting special teams. A lot of those guys do double duty with those jobs but us believing the challenges of it. The adversity of it at times with the training and the things you go through. When you complete those things that our difficult in life, it gives you a sense of pride and confidence it is carried out through our life,” said Holter.
Only three men have been head coaches of the Salem Spartans. Coach Holter is proud of being part of the successful tradition of Salem football.
“Keep of the flame and a haver of knowledge. Salem was successful long before I got here. But I feel a duty of responsibility to continue that and my predecessors and before me certainly paved the way and a road map and you believe in what you do and you do it right,” said Holter.
At the end of the day, Holter has a lot of pride in being an army veteran as well as all of the men and women in uniform.
“I think we all should serve and the world would be a better place. You serve your family and you serve your community and you come to work and to be the best at your job every single day. You understand that people rely on you and you need to take care of them,” said Holter.
