Roderick Erves spent his adolescence and part of his adult life surround by Vicksburg High School football.

Erves’ father was the defensive coordinator at VHS when he was younger; he played fullback, defensive line and linebacker from 2002-04; and has been apart of the coaching staff since 2011.

The beginning of August will mark a new chapter in Erves’ life as he prepares to take on new head coaching positions in Dallas: Billy Earl Dade Middle School and James Madison High School.

“Texas is like the guru of the nation of high school football and it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Erves said.

Leaving his current group of Gators – some that have been with him since the eighth grade – is tough for Erves. He hates having to do so but has to make the best decision for his own children.

“I don’t want them to feel like I’m turning my back on them because I’m not. But I know one day when they get to this point they’ll understand sooner or later that coach Erves had to do what he had to do for his family,” Erves said.

The decision has been an emotionally charged one for him to make. Erves said he has been pacing back and forth thinking about the lives he is leaving in the Red Carpet City.

Breaking the news to his players was met with a moment of silence. Some players slowly took the news of his departure and accepted it. Others took it hard and tried to convince him to stay in Vicksburg.

Erves built a strong relationship with his players and will always have a connection with them after he leaves.

“They already know what I expect and the bar shouldn’t drop because I’m not around. I always preached to them ‘one monkey doesn’t stop the show,’” Erves said. “Whether I’m here or not, you have to go on.”

Developing a bond with his players means a lot to him and said without the bond there is no team and the kids will do what they want. If players don’t buy into the coach’s system, then a coach has no leg to stand on.

To Erves, the bond between player and coach doesn’t stop at high school. He wants to be able to bump into a former player 10 years later in life and see them establish a family and thank him for the life lessons Erves taught his players.

“Growing up around my dad I saw that and thought ‘wow he’s touching all these people. This man has kids my age and he’s thanking my dad for helping him straighten his life out,’” Erves said. “The kids never forget you.”

Erves fondest memories of being associated with VHS come almost 10 years apart from each other.

He recalls his very first year coaching in 2011, and defeating Warren Central away from Memorial Stadium. As a player, he beat the Vikings one time and said it was one of his biggest victories of his career.

One of the best games of his high school career came when Brandon Boone was the offensive coordinator. He recorded 15 tackles, four forced fumbles, three tackles for loss and 110 rushing yards.

He describes his coaching style as a mix of old school and modern day coaching. He has a little bit of his fathers style but recognized the old school style – intense, in your face, my way and my way only mentality – might not be as acceptable as it was in years past.

Erves tries to makes football relatable so players can understand the game and not just play.

“They play the game, but they don’t have the intentions of learning the game. They just go out there and do it. I try to make things simple so they can understand,” Erves said.

The two schools Erves will be coaching at are bigger than what he’s accustomed to. He will be dealing with 7,000 lower-income, inner city students in south Dallas, which is what Erves likes. He wants to make a change like he did while at Vicksburg

“A lot of these kids don’t have father figures,” Erves said. “[In Vicksburg] I saw a kid start coming to me, clinging to me, calling me more and you begin to do more that goes beyond football like what do you need at home?”

Vicksburg is home for Erves and he will miss the atmosphere, community, and the other coaches and players. Being recognized by people in the community is touching for him and now has to make a name for himself in Dallas.

Erves knows how intense the Texas football culture is, but thinks his players will adjust to his coaching style.

“The big thing about Texas football is the motivation is already there. Those kids are exposed to way more sports,” Erves said. “They already know ‘I want to go to Texas Tech’ at two-years-old. Those kids already come in wanting to be real students of the game.”

Erves compared the football culture in Texas to Mississippi and said kids need motivation to play, and because there is not much for kids in Vicksburg, it can become easy to get involved with negative things.

“We have to get our youth back. If they go on break and come back we have to motivate them because their minds have turned back into ‘I’m at home’ or ‘I’m in the neighborhood,” Erves said.

Erves wants people in Vicksburg to remember him as someone who left a positive impression on the ones he met, someone who was always positive and could turn a person’s negative attitude into a positive one.

His positivity shows in his finals words for the residents of Vicksburg and the players he’s leaving behind.

“I want the best for them and the first week I get off I’m coming to see them,” Erves said. “When I’m in Mississippi I’m a gator, I wish them well.”