North Gaston football coach Dan Rothwell resigns after two seasons. Here's why.
North Gaston High is again seeking a new football coach.
Dan Rothwell resigned Tuesday, departing after two seasons as the Wildcats’ head man. The former NOGA coach has accepted a coaching position at Richmond Hill (Georgia) High School, just outside of Savannah.
“It was a tough decision; it felt like we were just getting things turned around and I’m leaving here with what feels like unfinished business,” he said. “But this is a move strictly with family in mind.”
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Rothwell added: “I have a sister living in the Savannah (Georgia), Richmond Hill area and my parents living in Michigan are thinking of relocating there after they retire in a few years. Our kids’ cousins live there and they’ve offered my wife a job at the school as well. This isn’t something we went looking for; it just popped up right in front of us, and was something we couldn’t refuse.”
North Gaston was winless in his first season, outscored 415-65 in 10 games. It was a much different story last fall, however, the Wildcats finishing with a 5-6 record and earning their first NCHSAA 3A playoff berth since 2013.
Though savoring every win, it’s the relationships Rothwell said he’ll miss most.
“That’s the toughest part; the relationships with these kids are the biggest thing,” he said. “We preach all the time about being family and being there for each other. That’s what made today such a tough conversation to have with them.”
North Gaston’s next coach will be its fourth in six seasons. Mike Patton served nine seasons (2011-19), finishing with a 22-76 record. He was followed by Justin Clark (2020-21), the Wildcats going 1-16 in his two seasons before departing for North Carolina Wesleyan.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: NCHSAA football: North Gaston's Dan Rothwell resigns after two seasons
