Randy Sandefur, after 40 years coaching in the North Little Rock School District, has hung up his whistle to be the new director of Parks and Recreation for the city of North Little Rock.

He replaces Steve Shields, who resigned after nearly three years on the job. Shields was also a coach, and had previously been the head coach men’s basketball coach at UALR.

Sandefur, a graduate of Northeast, played college football at Arkansas-Monticello, and those four years were the only time outside the city as he’s a North Little Rock lifer.

He started coaching at Northeast in 1983 and was there until Ole Main and Northeast high schools merged in 1990 and the Chargers and Wildcats became the Charging Wildcats.

In addition to coaching football, Sandefur also coached the baseball program and for the past two seasons he was the head football coach. He won a combined four state championships at the school.

 “Randy is North Little Rock all the way,” said North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick. “He has the leadership, passion and energy we need and will be an asset to our whole city.”

Sandefur started in the new role on June 1.

“I am excited and honored to be appointed by Mayor Hartwick to work with everyone to rebuild our park, update our recreation centers and local parks,” he said. 

It is going to be a tough task as Burns Park took the brunt of the damage from the March 31 EF3 tornado that ripped through North Little Rock and Little Rock.

Sandefur is married to the former Leslie Ballard and the couple has two sons and four grandchildren, and another on the way later this year.

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