COURTLAND— Littleton Parker, longtime head football coach at Southampton High School, is retiring from the gridiron after 22 years. The announcement was made before the Southampton-Prince Edward game Monday night.

According to Southampton Schools Superintendent Charles Turner, Parker will remain at the school as an assistant principal and athletic director.

“He’ll still be here, hopefully for a long time,” Turner said. “He’s an icon and has done a tremendous job.”

Turner said that under Parker’s tutelage, many Southampton students have moved on to bigger and better things.

“Many students have benefitted from his leadership and association. Thirty-six players have received scholarships for football and three have reached National Football League status,” Turner said.

Turner also said that Parker brought more to the field than just X’s and O’s.

“Very significant also are the attributes of citizenship, honesty and integrity which coach Parker instilled in student athletes at Southampton High School,” Turner added.

Darren Parker, head coach at Franklin High School, played under Littleton Parker in the late ’80s and early ’90s when the Indians went to the state championship. He also moved on to play at Hampton University. Darren Parker said that Littleton Parker is a role model for area football coaches.

“As a coach, he was a very strong disciplinarian. His coaching knowledge of the game of football is extensive. He knows the game. He knows how to teach the game,” Darren Parker said. “I truly believe he is one of the top coaches to come out of this area, the seven cities, everywhere.

“I have learned a lot from him. I congratulate him on his 22 years of coaching. He’s a coach you can put up there as a role model for younger and older coaches.”

Darren Parker never forgot a saying that Littleton Parker lives by:

“He always used to say if you treat people right and you do the right thing, good things will happen to you. That’s a very true statement.”