Tuscola seeks next head football coach

Jan. 16—Tuscola High School is looking for the next person to lead its football program following the suspension and resignation of former Coach Chris Brookshire.

"An advisory and recruitment committee has been assembled to find a new head football coach for Tuscola High School," said Haywood County Schools Superintendent Trevor Putnam. "The committee will work in conjunction with the principal to make a final selection."

The committee will consist of four to five members, Putnam said. Four committee members have already been chosen and agreed to serve on the committee.

"The committee will be a reflection of the current coaching staff and community members," Putnam said. He declined to name who is on the committee, however.

The committee's recommendation for a new coach would ultimately go through Tuscola Principal Heather Blackmon. However, she has been suspended with pay since Dec. 16.

Tuscola Assistant Principal Jacob Shelton is currently filling in for Blackmon as the lead administrator at Tuscola. Shelton worked with Tuscola's assistant football coaching staff to select the committee, Putnam said.

While neither Blackmon nor Shelton is a member of the search committee, Shelton will serve as a liaison to the committee, and Blackmon will be involved with the committee's final selection.

Principals have sole discretion in hiring a head coach. While high school head coaches serve in a public position and must answer to fans, players and the community, they ultimately work for the principal of each school — like teachers.

However, it is not uncommon to have a search committee for a head football coach. Due to the public role of a head football coach in the community, some principals hire a coach through a committee.

Somewhat complicating the process, however, is the fact that Blackmon remains suspended with pay. Her status as principal could be reinstated at any time. If so, whoever is hired as coach would be her employee.

The search will be an open search process, meaning the job is advertised publicly as opposed to hiring solely from within Haywood County Schools.

Vacancy created

Former head coach Chris Brookshire resigned Jan. 2 following a school district investigation into multiple reports that he made inappropriate and unprofessional comments to female colleagues. Brookshire is a 1988 Tuscola graduate.

"I apologize to anyone who I may have spoken with in a way that they deemed offensive or hurtful," Brookshire said in a written statement dated Jan. 2. "It was not my intent to harm or offend anyone."

Brookshire was initially suspended with pay on Dec. 2, 2022, and then suspended without pay on Dec. 16. While he could have appealed his suspension to the Haywood County Board of Education — during which more evidence from the investigation would've been presented — Brookshire chose to resign, instead.

"I have determined that it is time for me to resign, as I in no way would want do anything to compromise the integrity of Tuscola High School, Tuscola football or myself," Brookshire said in his statement.

The head coach vacancy comes after Tuscola's best season in nearly a decade. The Mountaineers football team went 10-2 in the regular season, highlighted by a win over crosstown rival Pisgah High School. Tuscola hadn't beaten Pisgah in 10 years.

The Mountaineers won their home playoff game against Forestview in round one but fell to eventual state champion East Lincoln High School in round two.