Dumas coach George Shelton has been selected over 26 other candidates to lead the storied Little Rock Central football program.
The Little Rock School District announced the hiring during a board meeting Thursday night.
He replaces Kent Laster, who left in January to coach University High School in Waco, Texas. Shelton will be the fourth Central coach since 1975 and follows Bernie Cox, Ellis "Scooter" Register and Laster.
Shelton has been a head coach for 16 years at Augusta, Dollarway, Watson Chapel and Dumas.
“First off it’s just an awesome opportunity and a blessing to have this opportunity to take the lead at Little Rock Central,” Shelton said. “It’s a historical program in athletics and academics and even on the social front they have been in the lead in a lot of areas.”
Little Rock School District athletic director John Daniels said Shelton is well respected throughout the state.
“You cannot find one person in the coaching fraternal that will say a negative thing about George,” Daniels said.
A graduate of Arkansas-Monticello, Shelton began coaching career as an assistant at Warren before moving on to join the staff at Pine Bluff at the age of 25.
His first head coaching job was at Augusta. He led the Red Devils to the Class 2A state finals in 2001 before leaving for Dollarway.
He led Dollarway to the Class 3A state title game in 2004 and Class 4A title game in 2007. During his seven years at Watson Chapel, he took the Wildcats to the state semifinals three times.