Dayon Toomer has yet to lead a practice at Oglethorpe County High School, but he’s already established the objective of his tenure: to coach young adults, not just basketball players.
Toomer was hired to lead the boys basketball team in April following the departure of Carlos Strong. The program is looking for a fresh start; the Patriots are 3-40 the past two seasons and are on their third coach in five years.
Toomer has 19 years of coaching experience and is known as a relationship builder off the court, something co-athletic director Michael Holland and the school administration noticed early in the hiring process.
“He was very adamant about putting student-athletes first and making sure they’re taken care of, on top of trying to be competitive in basketball,” Holland said.
He joins the Patriots after four seasons at Bacon County, where he led the Raiders to three playoff appearances and their first double-digit win season since 2016. He was an assistant coach on McIntosh County Academy’s 2015 Final Four team.
“Our approach was more about quality over quantity,” Toomer said. “Like when it’s time to get to work, we’re working, and then after the work, then we’ll be able to bond and talk.”
Relationships have always been at the center of Toomer’s philosophy. He grew up as a middle child in a “tight-knit” family, where he wanted to “keep everything cool and together.”
He went to Jones County in Gray, where he played football. After graduating, Toomer attended Georgia Southern for his bachelor’s degree, Troy for his master’s and Valdosta State for a specialist degree.
His family stays connected through group chats, celebrating victories, big and small, all while staying close to each other.
He’s also a father of four children.
His eldest, Mason, lives in Lincolnton, while his fiancé, Antorya, and three youngest children, Chassity, Carson and Cionni, will move with him to the area. He plans to involve his family in the program, giving athletes a model of a stable household.
“The main thing I'm coming up to do is produce productive young men,” Toomer said. “We want them to be good as husbands, as spouses, boyfriends to their spouses — I want to just show them how (family) looks, how it’s supposed to look, how you’re supposed to do things; just teaching them the life lessons on how to operate when you have a family.”
Toomer discovered Oglethorpe County in 2022, when he coached against the Patriots in a summer showcase.
“I saw the athletes they had there, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness,’ if we can just get somewhere with those athletes, we can do something real well,” Toomer said.
Toomer kept tabs on the program through game film and was prepared when he decided to apply for the position. Holland said Toomer knew the names and numbers of several players during his interview.
He had a chance to meet athletes at the middle and high schools earlier this month, drawing a crowd of 30-40 students, Holland said, and has already set up notification group chats.
“It’s all about establishing that relationship piece. That’s one of the biggest things,” Toomer said. “Once you establish that relationship piece, then you can really hone in on how much you can push a player.”
While opening night remains months away, Toomer plans to use the summer as an opportunity to get to know his team and Oglethorpe County better.
Summer practices are scheduled to start in early June, and Toomer encourages anyone interested in playing to “start running” to prepare for a high-intensity defensive pressure style of play.
Toomer’s scouting report, however, doesn’t stop at the court. Instead, it carries over to local restaurants.
Toomer is planning team outings and dinners, whether to Burger King, local pizza joints or bowling alleys.
“Coach Toomer loves to go eat,” Toomer said. “So we want to go eat, be able to have some camaraderie together and also hang out.”
Part of the local immersion includes an interest in Golden Pantry, a stop he’s eager to make.
“I've been to one before, and the one that I had before, it was amazing,” Toomer said. “It was definitely amazing, so I’m interested to see what this Golden Pantry is all about.”
As he prepares for next season, Toomer isn’t looking at the 3-40 record he inherited as a burden, but rather a base for what’s to come.
“I’m excited to be a Patriot,” Toomer said. “I’m excited to get things rolling and to see what it’s going to be about. I’m here for the long haul.”