It’s about more than just winning and losing when it comes to high school sports.

It’s about building a brotherhood (or sisterhood), an unlikely camaraderie between teammates, building trust and chemistry with people that you can take with you for the rest of your life.

It’s about the memories. It’s about the uncommon bond between a group of strangers at the beginning of the season and becoming allies, friends and brothers (or sisters) by season’s end.

To me, that’s what high school sports represent.

I’ll always remember my friends, teammates and brothers on the wrestling team at Southern High School in Durham. I’ll always remember the enemies I had at the beginning of the season and how we grew close by season’s end, all thanks to the bond that we shared during the season.

It’s simply unforgettable. Those moments live with you forever and ever and it comes to the point where you want your children to have the same kind of memories that you had. The same kind of enjoyment and satisfaction that you enjoyed, high school athletes today hope their children enjoy those same moments and create their own life-lasting memories, too.

That’s why I think the hires of Burton Cates at Lee County and Eric Puryear at Southern Lee are perfect for both schools’ football programs. Both schools are trying to rebuild into contenders and both schools are trying to become more successful on the gridiron.

When it comes to hiring new coaches, it doesn’t get much better than either Puryear or Cates. Although both coaches are coming to the schools under completely different circumstances, both seem to know what they’re doing and seem very well qualified for the positions.

Everyone knows that it’s going to take time for both coaches to be successful in their transition seasons at Lee and Southern, but the two can bring something back to the programs that has been missing.

Excitement.

It’s more than about winning and losing on the field. To be successful in high school athletics, you’ve got to do it off the field, too.

Former Lee County coach Jody Stouffer won off the field by helping more than 20 players achieve their dreams of playing football at the next level. Several players have said that Stouffer served as a mentor and was like a father figure to them.

That’s why there was the shock from some players, parents and fans that Stouffer had resigned.

The players he helped get into schools like Campbell, Duke, Florida Atlantic and Lenoir-Rhyne, among others, all seemed grateful to Stouffer for his help and dedication to their success. If it wasn’t for him, they might not be where they are right now.

He might not have won as much as some would have liked on the field, but everything Stouffer did for the Yellow Jackets will sit with them for the rest of their lives, I’m sure.

Bill Maczko, unfortunately, did not win off the field. Southern Lee didn’t have a single football player sign with a university this year. The coach didn’t win over the parents and didn’t win over some of the players. It just wasn’t a good fit for the school.

It’s time to put the past behind us and move on.

Puryear had nothing to do with any of the behind-the-scenes mess that went on at Southern Lee as far as the coaching search is concerned. He had nothing to do with Maczko nor his short-lived era at Southern Lee.

Cates had nothing to do with the forced or unforced resignation of Stouffer at Lee County. He had nothing to do with the 3-8 and 2-9 seasons the Yellow Jackets had in the past two years.

Instead, these two are the architects in rebuilding not only football programs.

They’re also in charge of rebuilding the trust of the community and the trust of the players.

One school had that trust in Stouffer and another school didn’t with Maczko.

But none of that matters anymore.

What matters from this point on is what Cates and Puryear do during their time at Lee County and Southern Lee.

It’s now time to focus on the Cates and Puryear eras in Sanford.

Now is the time to move away from the past and look toward the future and see how many memories these experienced coaches can give these high school athletes.

After all, that is what high school sports are supposed to give us.