Goose Creek adds coaches to staff

Goose Creek – Sometimes a coaching staff needs a little shakeup. Goose Creek head football coach Jason Winstead looked into his program and made what he feels are necessary changes to his 2024 coaching staff.

Winstead is not one to pass blame around but says he felt the need to change some coaching personnel in hopes that the Gators will be improved this fall.

“It happens sometimes,” said Winstead, heading into his seventh season as head coach. “I have to look at what’s available and decide if the new guys can make a difference. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don’t. I just felt we needed to be a better team if we want to compete for a region title and beyond.”

The biggest changes on the football staff will come on the defensive side. The Gators gave up more than 30 points per game last season.

Stepping in as defensive coordinator is Ben Lailson, a well-known defensive coach in the area. Lailson spent several years at Timberland High and also coached at Philip Simmons. He was most recently the head coach at Stall but had little to no success.

“The guy can coach defense,” Winstead said. “He will coach the linemen and call the shots. He has a very good football mind and I think our defense will be improved.”

Lailson also will take over as the varsity softball coach in the spring, according to athletic director Troy Johnson.

Another new defensive coach, Lee Taylor, brings more than 30 years of experience and will coach outside linebackers. Taylor, a former player at Charleston Southern, has spent the majority of his coaching career at several prominent programs in the Upstate.

“We got lucky with Lee,” Winstead said. “He has grandkids down here and he and his wife wanted to be closer to them. It worked out great for us.”

Returning assistant Joe Marion, another veteran, will move to coach inside linebackers this fall. DeAndre Daniels, a former star player at Goose Creek, is joining the varsity staff in the secondary. Another returning coach, Booker Peake, is moving up from the jayvee program and will coach running backs. That position includes junior Melig McGowans, one of the top 2026 backs in the state.

Joey Still returns as the offensive line coach with four returning starters.

Johnson also announced the hiring of Vincent Messineo as the new varsity girls soccer.

Returning as varsity head coaches are Blake Hall (boys basketball), Jabari Deas (girls basketball), Kirk Rebuck (baseball), Chris and Amanda Cooper (cross country), Joey Still (boys golf), James Taylor (girls golf), Nick Brammer (boys soccer), Paula Spagnolia (girls tennis), Willie Nearhood (wrestling) and Irish Bamba (volleyball).