Hillman steps down from pitch at Gate City

GATE CITY — The well is still full on the pitch at Gate City. Aaron Hillman figures this is a good time to let someone else guide the Blue Devils' boys soccer team. "That is one of the things I wanted to have is when I left I wanted to know that the well was no where near dry," said Hillman, who is stepping down after leading Gate City boys soccer since 2016. "That is something I kind of take pride in, the fact that it is not going to be a big drop-off." Hillman will leave behind a program that has been to the last two Class 2 state tournaments. He will leave with seven talented seniors, including his son, Walker, who was also a standout on the football field for Gate City. "I have been absolutely blessed. I have been able to see a lot of guys go through the program," said Hillman, who made this decision last year, and let the players know last week. "Three of the guys on my coaching staff are former players of mine and two on the girls staff were former players. I am blessed. I have been on a sideline for 26 straight years." Gate City finished with a stellar 19-3 record this season, falling to three-time defending champion Glenvar in the Class 2 state quarterfinals on Tuesday. That came one year after defeating Graham to win the Region 2D crown before finishing a 20-2-1 campaign after falling to Radford in the state quarterfinals. "This past two years we have been to the region finals and it is a good feeling, it is in a good place," Hillman said. "I feel like the well is no where near dry. These underclassmen have a lot of big shoes to fill, but the well is not dry. Hopefully they will keep everything continuing to go up and stronger, stronger." The 48-year-old Hillman, who played football, baseball and track at Twin Springs, served as an assistant football coach at Twin Springs and Rye Cove before getting into youth soccer with his daughter, Layla. He was soon approached by the Gate City principal duo of Brent Roberts and Mike Lane about taking over the Blue Devils' boys program. "My first two years coaching here we didn't have the best record and we struggled," said Hillman, whose wife, Becky, ran track and was a cheerleader at old Ervinton High School. "I can remember having nights trying to find a win, trying to find a goal, trying to find any opportunity we could have for success to now playing teams like Glenvar and playing for state championships. "That is just a blessing and that is what the kids have come to. I didn't do it all alone, I had a lot of help going along the way, I had a lot of support from my wife and she has took care of me over the years. It is time to hang it up." Hillman is also proud of what Austin Gibson and the 3:16 Sports Program at Gateway Baptist Church in Weber City has done to help prepare boys and girls to be Blue Devils. The Gate City girls program had a stellar campaign as well, finishing 17-6-2 and reaching the state tournament for the first time since 2019. "It has kind of been our feeder program over the years. Both girls and boys players help coach these guys so they are around it and they are built up with it and they make a good repertoire with these kids," Hillman said. "It has translated because a lot of the guys that are playing for us right now come from that league so it is just an awesome thing that we have." Gate City, which used to play at Legion Field, now has its own facility at the Scott County Sports Complex, and it has been filled with soccer fans since then. "The fans here in Gate City, but I have got friends at Rye Cove and Twin Springs, they will come to me and say, 'I have no idea what is going on, but I am having fun'," Hillman said. "That was a good feeling to have. The parents of these kids and the faculty and staff and Gate City in general, they have supported us all of the way. You couldn't ask for anything better." While Walker will be attending ETSU with future plans in the medical field, don't expect Aaron to disappear from Gate City soccer. He will still be around if needed, and will certainly "treasure" his time spent with the players. "You never know, you may end up seeing me be water boy somewhere," said Hillman, who has coached since age 22. "As far as head coaching, you have different chapters and different seasons of your life and it is just the next season that I am in. As of right now, I am taking a step back, I am going to enjoy hanging out."