<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=10WO1T_1E9gPD2q00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=10WO1T_1E9gPD2q00" width="1200" height="1147" >SIKESTON — When Jim May arrived at Sikeston High School in early 2024, the veteran football coach quickly discovered rebuilding the Bulldogs would require patience.At one of his first morning workouts, only eight players showed up.More than two years later, May looks around the practice and sees a much different program.Sikeston opened official practices this week with participation in the mid-to-upper 60s, a significant jump from the approximately 40 players May had during his first season.“We’ve worked really hard,” May said following Tuesday’s practice. “We’ve got a lot of kids who paid a lot of prices. They’ve put in the work, and I think people are starting to want to be a part of it. We have a good time. We try and have fun, but it’s hard work.”May is entering his third season leading Sikeston after a long, successful tenure at his alma mater, Scott City.The victories haven’t come quickly. Sikeston has finished 3-7 in each of May’s first two seasons, but those records don’t tell the entire story.May inherited a young roster and immediately began putting freshmen into varsity action. Many of those players were sophomores last season and will enter 2026 as experienced juniors.“The guys that are going to be seniors and juniors this year have committed to it for three years,” May said. “It’s made all the difference in the world because of our attitude.”That commitment has extended beyond the season. May said players regularly arrived for 6 a.m. workouts throughout the winter and summer.“They’re dedicated to it, and they’re working hard,” May said.The Bulldogs’ coach sees a team that is not only more experienced but hungry to change the direction of the program.“They’re coachable, and they want to win,” May said. “They’re tired of losing.”Turning that desire into victories won’t be easy. Sikeston faces another challenging schedule, including the always-demanding SEMO Conference.Still, May believes the Bulldogs are becoming more invested physically, mentally, and emotionally.“When you put great effort into it, it means more to you,” May said. “Wins are more fun, and losses are harder when you’ve paid a price to be there. That’s what we were missing.”May knows rebuilding takes time. He experienced a similar process when he took over at Scott City, where he eventually built a highly successful program.May had actually planned to retire before Sikeston coach (and current superintendent) Andy McGill contacted him about the Bulldogs’ opening.Instead of retirement, May found another challenge — and a renewed energy for coaching.“When I got here, it was completely different,” May said. “We were on cruise control (at Scott City), and now I got here, and I’m back to work. It’s re-energized me. I’m really excited, and I’m going to do this for quite a while now.“I’m having a lot of fun trying to build this back up.”The job was perhaps larger than May initially anticipated, but his approach hasn’t changed.“When a program’s not in a real good place, it just takes a while,” May said. “It doesn’t normally happen overnight. It’s a whole culture that’s got to change, and we’re hoping we’re moving in the right direction.”</div></body>

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SIKESTON — When Jim May arrived at Sikeston High School in early 2024, the veteran football coach quickly discovered rebuilding the Bulldogs would require patience. At one of his first morning workouts, only eight players showed up. More than two years later, May looks around the practice and sees...

May sees growth, renewed commitment in Sikeston football program

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SIKESTON — When Jim May arrived at Sikeston High School in early 2024, the veteran football coach quickly discovered rebuilding the Bulldogs would require 

May sees growth, renewed commitment in Sikeston football program

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