Ooltewah Head Coach Resigns

[GradfromtheNest]

Coach Gatewood resigns due to personal reasons and will apparently pursue a career in another sports business - not sporting goods as previously mentioned.

 

Coach Gatewood was an awesome man and coach. He was an incredible role model to everyone at Ooltewah, not only football players. We'll miss him greatly! Good luck Coach!

Edited March 16, 2005 by GradfromtheNest

[GradfromtheNest]

Who's next?

 

Has Gary Rankin found a job?

 

This upcoming senior class is possibly the most talented in Ooltewah history. Possibly the best junior class in the state this past year! The freshmen are GOOD too!

[ELA]

Coach Gatewood, you will be greatly missed! Tell your mom, I said hello!

 

I don't know if any of what I'm about to say had anything to do with his decision but my guess is it weighed in to some extent!

 

Hamilton County MUST work out their differences between the school board and the commissioners. To try to run a good football program with two paid assistant coaches is crazy! It's hard enough to get by with two assistants when you have a small 1A school with only 33 kids on the team, but to manage a 4A or 5A public school with 75-90 football players with only two paid assistant coaches is tough; some would say impossible! I know for a fact that the head football coaches in Hamilton County are fed up with the local politics. When the voters of Hamilton County make up their mind that they care about sports and the kids who play them, they will force their elected representatives to stop playing politics with kids, teachers, and coaches.

 

Good luck Coach Gatewood and I pray that you find success in whatever you do!

Edited March 16, 2005 by ELA

[o21putt]

I sure hope that he is not planning on going to work for Rens's in Harriman as he will starve to death waiting on a decent commission.

[GradfromtheNest]

Correction to the Sporting Goods comment has been made in the first post.

[bounder]

Goodluck to you all, hope you find another coach with the skills of Coach Gatewood. We in Oak Ridge can relate with the feelings you are having.

[TDCman]

This is another outstanding position to come open... at least from a competitive standpoint.

 

I had mentioned this earlier on another thread but I really never understood all of the factors that are involved for these HS coaches. Certainly you can't run a program right with only two full-time paid assistants. I never considered what they had to deal with in the areas of class load and compensation either.

 

It's a dilemna; the schools are for education and the the most important parts of that education are 'readin, writin, and rithmetic. However, having competitive sports programs add a tremendous amount to that education as well as the school community. To be the best at anything you have to invest time and resources.

 

It will be interesting to watch this play out. Ooltewah is definitely a top ten quality team headed into the fall.

Edited March 16, 2005 by TDCman

[Sequatchie]

Here is a link to the story!

 

LINK: Gatewood Steps Down As Ooltewah Football Coach

 

The Ooltewah High School football nation was shocked Wednesday afternoon when Ted Gatewood resigned as the Owls' head coach.

 

It was especially shocking because the Owls, who were 8-3 last year, are expected to be one of the state's best Class 5A teams next fall.

 

"I know I'm leaving a good football team,'' Gatewood said. "That's the tough part. But this is a business opportunity that might only come around once in a lifetime.''

 

Gatewood, 40, will be the business director the The Velocity Sports Performance Training Center which is coming to Chattanooga. It has been highly successful in other parts of the country.

 

I saw a segment on the NFL Network a couple of weeks ago during the Combine workouts on a company like this probably the same one. It was interesting on how they teach these kids the drills that the scouts will use during the combine or pro days.

[GradfromtheNest]

So who's it going to be? any prognostications?!?

[gridiron13]

Does anyone know anything about the application process?

[ELA]

Does anyone know anything about the application process?

825621488[/snapback]

You have to first apply to the county (HCDE.ORG) and then send a resume to the school. It takes some time for Hamilton Co to post these positions so it may be a few days before it is in their system. My guess is there will be a lot of interest in this job until they find out that Hamilton Co Public Schools are only allowed to have two paid faculty assistant coaches and Hamilton County DOES NOT ALLOW BOOSTER MONEY to supplement the head coaches salary or pay for NON-FACULTY assistant coaches!

 

Having said this… they have the best facility in the County and it is a high profile coaching position. The pay for the head football coach is +20% of your teaching salary (way above the state average) and there is always talent in that part of the county! You will have the full support of the community and the work environment is probably the best in the county public school system!

[DeepBall]

I would have to think that Scott Smith, from Soddy-Daisy, would be at the top of the list. He has been the backbone, before last year, of the SD program. His defenses have been some of the top rated in the region for the last few years.

 

I would hate to see him leave SD, especially with Weathers there now. But he deserves his shot.

 

Deepball Dad