For the past eight years, Gov. Jim Justice often compared himself to a sports coach, drawing parallels to his time coaching at Greenbrier East High School.

Now that he has moved on to the U.S. Senate, West Virginians have a new leader in the governor’s office: Patrick Morrisey, who delivered his inaugural address on Monday.

If we were to compare Morrisey to a coach, his speech on Monday felt like a mix of a game plan and a pep rally — and we appreciated much of what we heard.

The former state attorney general, who served admirably in that position for 12 years, spoke about the state’s potential and his goal of helping all West Virginians achieve success.

“This is our moment to rise, to dream bigger, to achieve more,” Morrisey said. “We’ve seen tough times before, and as a state, we’ve always come out of it stronger. Our story — it’s still being written. And every West Virginian will play a role in shaping the next chapter.

“So, let’s be bold, let’s be courageous and let’s move forward together. I promise you this: I’ll never stop fighting for you, for our families and for West Virginia’s future.”

Morrisey’s reputation as a fighter is well documented. He led the state’s efforts to combat what he and others deemed government overreach, particularly in relation to the state’s energy industries.

And his office helped negotiate more than $1 billion in settlements from drug manufacturers, distributors and retailers in regards to the opioid epidemic.

During his speech, Morrisey addressed the state’s ongoing challenges, including the opioid epidemic and the need to increase educators’ pay. He called on all West Virginians to set aside differences and unite behind what he described as the “shining state in the mountains.”

“Today is the dawn of a new era, a symbolic new start for our state,” he said. “Today we set our sights on something truly great — a future where West Virginia is thriving as that shining state in the mountains. And make no mistake: Every West Virginian will have an important role to play in building this amazing and prosperous state.”

Morrisey pledged to continue efforts to lower or eliminate taxes while making state government more efficient.

“This economic revival, though, is more than just cutting taxes and red tape,” he said. “It’s about unleashing the full potential of our people and engaging in spirited competition every day. Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky — we’re coming for you economically.”

On improving the state’s education system, Morrisey reaffirmed his support for school choice while emphasizing the importance of strengthening public schools.

“We will make sure West Virginia’s teachers are paid competitively with those in neighboring states,” he said. “If we want to attract and retain the best educators, we must reward their commitment and excellence. We’ll cut through the bureaucracy that burdens our classrooms so teachers can spend more time teaching and less time tangled in red tape.”

With a bold vision and a call for unity, Patrick Morrisey has set an ambitious tone for his tenure as West Virginia’s governor.

His commitment to economic growth, education reform and tackling the state’s most pressing challenges signals a new chapter for the Mountain State.

Now, the responsibility lies with all West Virginians to rally behind this vision and work together to turn aspirations into achievements.

As Morrisey said, the story of West Virginia is still being written, and every citizen has a role to play in shaping its brighter future.