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[Sonny Dearth]

Reamon resigns at Gloucester

By Dave Fairbank | dfairbank@dailypress.com

Tommy Reamon, who coached three of the best quarterbacks in the Peninsula District’s modern era, resigned as head coach at Gloucester High on Wednesday.

Reamon, who also turned 54 on Wednesday, informed Gloucester officials earlier in the day that he did not intend to return for a fourth season.

"It’s time," he said. "I’ve enjoyed the run. The touching of children’s lives and taking on Gloucester’s program. Great kids to work with. A major challenge. We did some great things in a short time. I think we’ve laid out a blueprint for whoever comes next."

Reamon said he planned to remain at Gloucester as a teacher. He did not rule out a return to coaching, but said that he needed a break after 22 consecutive years as a coach.

"I use the analogy that when I had my last injury, when I got hurt with the Redskins, I could see it coming to an end," said Reamon, a one-time junior college All-American, a standout at Missouri and former NFL running back. "I just felt different and I could feel it coming to a close."

Reamon was a high school head coach for 20 years, at Manor High in Portsmouth, at now-defunct Ferguson High, at Warwick and most recently at Gloucester. His Gloucester teams went 7-23 in three years. His overall record in the Peninsula District is 75-96.

At Ferguson, he coached future Virginia and NFL quarterback Aaron Brooks. At Warwick, he coached brothers Michael and Marcus Vick, who both went on to star at Virginia Tech.

Michael Vick eventually became the overall No. 1 draft choice in the NFL before he was suspended from the league and convicted for his role in a dogfighting operation.

Most recently, Reamon coached his son, Tommy Jr., also a quarterback who completed his prep career at Gloucester and will play for Old Dominion’s start-up program beginning in 2009.

"It’s just time to move on," he said. "I’m going to miss the kids, football-wise. I think we all know when it’s time to move on — at least I do. I’ve thought about it, contemplated it."