The Macon County High School Tigers learned last week that offensive coordinator Keith Goolsby would be leaving and taking over the same job at Watertown effective at the end of the school year.

Goolsby came to the Tigers by way of Smith County in 2002 and immediately made an impact, as the 2002 Tigers reached the postseason for the first time since 1995 and won the Upperman Bowl over York Institute. In 2003 the Tigers once again reached the postseason as they made it all the way to the state semi-finals before losing to eventual champion Knoxville Fulton. Goolsby, who graduated from Smith County High School and Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in early childhood education, cited that as one of the reasons for leaving. He had been teaching on a waiver, while taking college classes to get certified in high school math.

He learned this year that there wasn't anywhere else in the county for him to teach if he didn't pass the required classes and tests to get certified in math. Watertown is willing to work with him while he completes his degree for high school certification. Coach Goolsby will also receive a significant pay raise by moving. This was the main reason for him leaving as he and his wife Molly are expecting the addition of a new baby later this year, along with daughter Amy and son Adam who they already have. Coach Goolsby will also serve as an assistant on the junior high team in Watertown.

Macon County will sorely miss Goolsby in the future and it's amazing that he couldn't be reassigned somewhere else until he got his certification. We would like to wish Coach Goolsby the best of luck in the future and hope that he does for the program at Watertown what he done in Macon County.