By Mark Schmerling
When Jason Farmer was a sophomore, playing offensive line for Boiling Springs High School, he had a solid goal. “I figured it out in tenth grade,” Farmer noted. “I figured I would teach, and coach football. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Farmer brings over twenty years’ coaching experience as Landrum High School’s new head football coach. But he also brings something more important, and less tangible. “I look to mentor kids . . . I want to help kids as much as I can.”
Teaching his players responsibility is part of his tough love philosophy geared toward success, not only on the high school field, but through out life. Farmer expects his players to “be here on time; be here every day; work hard. That’s what we ask our players to do: Come to work every day.”
Farmer traces his passion for coaching and mentoring to some of his high school coaches. “A couple of coaches impacted me in a good way,” Farmer recalled. “I wanted to do what they were doing. I had some fantastic coaches at Boiling Springs.” One of those coaches, Tom Manoski, a strength coach at the time, still coaches there. “I watched how much fun he was having coaching,” Farmer remembered. 
Farmer most recently served as head football coach at Woodmont High School in Greenville County. Before that he served as offensive coordinator at Blue Ridge High for four years, and for ten years at Spartanburg, (Nine years as running back coach and a year as offensive coordinator). He also coached at Silver Bluff High, a 2A school in Aiken County.
After high school, Farmer played football (also on the offensive line) for two years at Newberry (SC) College, and went on as a volunteer assistant coach at Newberry High School. “It was a good experience,” Farmer said. “They brought me in, and taught me some football. The best experience is on-the-job experience.”
Like others with a passion for what they do, Farmer is not out to win accolades, but is happy to know that he has a positive impact on others. In a recent visit to Blue Ridge High School, he encountered some of his former players. “A couple of them came up and thanked me for what I’d done.” That, he said was good to hear. Additional satisfaction comes from two of his former players now playing football for Division 1 colleges. One young man is an offensive lineman at the University of South Carolina; the other, a quarterback at the University of Maryland.
At Landrum, Farmer is not concerned about the team’s recent records. He knows he can help guide a strong program from this year on. “Everything’s in place (for building a successful program). We have to keep working every day.” 
Away from the field and classroom, Farmer “plays “a little golf sometimes.” He also enjoys time spent with his family, and “I love the beach.”
Farmer and his wife, Kristi, started dating each other after college. They have a son and daughter, both athletes but neither involved with football. Their daughter, and eighth-grader, plays volleyball for Campobello-Gramling, while their son, in sixth grade, plays baseball.
But, lots of other children might wind up playing football, and Farmer is anxious to help them.
“I want to see as many young kids playing football as we can.” In fact, Farmer politely and briefly interrupted this interview to wander some fifty yards to observe a young volunteer coach working with several youngsters on the Cardinals’ football practice field. A native of Boiling Springs, Farmer is glad to be back home in Spartanburg County. He also feels a strong connection to the Landrum Cardinals, and a love for 2A high schools.
“There’s nothing else I want to do, he said proudly. I want to be here for a very long time.”