<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4GBigS_0vlHtOBB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4GBigS_0vlHtOBB00" width="900" height="506" ></figure>MAGNOLIA, Ar. (KTAL/KMSS)— Former Captain Shreve head coach, Adam Kirby, is creating a new culture at Magnolia, and it is paying off.Kirby began instilling his culture into his new team immediately, but it was not widely accepted. It took persistence from Kirby and encouragement from players themselves to buy in on it.“They come to work everyday. They work extremely hard. They’re very coachable, they want to be pushed, they want to be coached, and that wasn’t the case when I got here,” Kirby said. “It really took probably 2-3 months of me not backing down and changing our standard and once they realized that, everyone’s been all in on it.”On the field, the Panthers are 2-1 as they head into their conference schedule. Last season, the Panthers only won five games. Off the field there are improvements as well.“The team has got way better,” senior running back Jamieon Young said. “The discipline, the grades, how we act in the community, it all got way better.”The student athletes are not the only ones that have experienced a positive impact from this change.“I’m having more fun coaching than I ever have in my career,” Kirby said. “They’re good boys, they have good character, they work hard, they’re good in the classroom, they’ve good off the field, I don’t have to worry about getting a phone call on Saturday night.”Magnolia will see just how far these improvements can take them as they open conference play on Friday night, with Arkansas High being the team’s first conference opponent. The game is at Panther Stadium and kickoff is set for 7 pm.Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

A slow transition is now paying off for Magnolia football

MAGNOLIA, Ar. (KTAL/KMSS)— Former Captain Shreve head coach, Adam Kirby, is creating a new culture at Magnolia, and it is paying off. Kirby began instilling his culture into his new team immediately, but it was not widely accepted. It took persistence from Kirby and encouragement from players themselves to buy in on it.