Crescent High School is pleased to announce the appointment of Crescent alumni and SC coaching great Larry Clark, Jr. as the new Head Track and Field Coach at Crescent High School. A three-time Teacher of the Year at his previous schools, Clark will also be teaching social studies at Crescent. He is a 1986 Crescent graduate and is undoubtedly one of the most successful track coaches in the state of South Carolina. He will take the reins from Coach Leigh Burton, who will remain with the program as an assistant.
“Excited does not begin to describe where we are,” said Athletic Director Jeff Craft. “Coach Burton and our staff have done a wonderful job, and they certainly join us in our excitement about getting unquestionably one of the best coaches in the state to lead this program; we have some talented athletes and coaches in place, and adding Coach Clark to lead it all……I cannot wait to see where we go with this.”
In his coaching career, Clark’s cumulative accomplishments are too numerous to list. He has taught and coached Track and Cross Country at Northwestern, Hanna, Easley, and Wren. During this time, Clark has led his teams to four State Championships, most recently at Wren in 2021 and 2022. He has won numerous team region championships and has coached 28 individual State Champions. He is a 4-time State Track Coach of the Year, 12-time Region Coach of the Year, and has had 10 All-American athletes.
“We always embrace the opportunity to welcome back employees that have already been a vital part of the Crescent family,” said Principal Cliff Roberts. “That is especially the case when we are able to bring home a teacher and coach as accomplished as Coach Clark. It’s a great day to be a Tiger!”
As a track and cross country athlete, Clark excelled as well at both Crescent and Clemson University. At Clemson, he won individual ACC Championships in both the 10,000 and 5000 meters, was an All-American and All-ACC performer, and was a member of six ACC Indoor and Outdoor Championship track and cross country teams. He is a 2002 member of the ACC’s 50th Anniversary Team in Cross Country and is an inaugural member of the Crescent New Deal Athletic Hall of Fame. Clark competed at Crescent for fellow State and Crescent Hall of Fame Coach Jim Crawford, who passed away earlier this year.
“Crescent helped mold me into the man I am today,” said Clark. I am excited to be able to give back to my hometown, and I can’t wait to get started!”
“This is just such a win on multiple levels to have Coach Clark come ‘home’ and take the lead for our track and field program,” said Craft. “He is not only an excellent coach, he is a great teacher and - most importantly - an experienced and outstanding role model for young people. It’s such a perfect scenario in that Coach Burton and Coach (Connell) Thompson are going to continue to coach as well. This has been a goal to try to make this happen. I imagine that Coach Crawford and Coach David Richardson are smiling ear to ear right now.”
Coach Clark and his wife Brandi have two children, Mattie (23) and Grady (20), along with a son-in-law. Noah. They are expecting their first granddaughter in July. In addition, Clark’s Dad (Larry Clark, Sr.) served as Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Crescent.