Wildwood (Florida) hires alum Lorenzo Fields as next football coach

Fields is a member of the Eastern Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame

Wildwood Middle-High School has ended its head coaching search and didn’t have to go too far in finding the right man for the job. 

Lorenzo Fields, an alum of Wildwood, was named the new head football coach, according to a release by the school on Wednesday morning. 

🏈Exciting News! 🏈 We are thrilled to announce 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬 as the new Head Football Coach for the Wildwood Wildcats! 🎉 Welcome Home, Coach Fields! 🏠🐾😼🔵⚪️ #WildwoodWildcats #WelcomeHome #NewBeginnings #HometownHero pic.twitter.com/2TCmJvxaYR

— 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐒 (@WMHSWildcats) January 3, 2024

Fields, who had served as an assistant principal at Hernando High School, led the football program to multiple state championship game appearances in the 1980’s. 

“Wildwood Middle High School proudly announces Mr. Lorenzo Fields as the new Head Coach of the Wildwood Wildcats football program,” the press release said. “With an impressive academic and athletic track record, Coach Fields is set to join the faculty and staff at WMHS and raise the Wildcats football program to new heights.”

The former Wildcat was a standout quarterback, led Wildwood to consecutive appearances in the Class 2A state championship games in 1984-85. 

Fields played collegiately at Eastern Kentucky University, where per the release he set a school record in 1988 for the best passing percentage in a season (62.7 percent). The quarterback was eventually into the Eastern Kentucky University Hall of Fame in 2021. 

Wildwood qualified for the FHSAA in six out of the last seven years, with an impressive 48-29 overall record during this span, including an appearance in a regional championship game. The Wildcats finished last season with a disappointing record of 2-7 after losing some key transfers out, including Vernell Brown III (now at Jones). 

(Photo courtesy of the Hernando Sun newspaper)