Pro-Football's Hayworth to Coach at GCHS

Volume XXXIV No. 28 sewaneemessenger.com Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 Pro-Football’s Monteagle Hayworth to Coach at to Help Fund MGT GCHS Handicap by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer Just over two weeks before the start of school, Grundy County Schools Access Athletic Director Leon Woodlee contacted former Tennessee Vols and by Leslie Lytle Detroit Lions linebacker Tracy Hayworth and off ered him the job of head Messenger Staff Writer football coach at Grundy County High School. “I was surprised, shocked and happy,” Hayworth said. “It was a At the July 30 meeting, the whirlwind of emotions.” Monteagle City Council voted Hayworth coached previously at the University of the South, South- to allocate up to $7,000 toward west Baptist University (Missouri) and as a volunteer at his alma mater, constructing a handicap accessible Franklin County High School. ramp on the Mountain Goat Trail “I’d sort of been looking for a coaching position,” Hayworth said, (MGT). Th e council also debated “but it was late in the season and the opportunity surprised me.” whether or not to grant a business Woodlee was appointed athletic director on July 12. He and GCHS Duck River Board Member Laura Willis, right, stopped by the Sewanee permit to an establishment seeking football coach Scott Smith had a disagreement Woodlee’s fi rst week on offi ce to wish Terri Henley the best on her retirement, and presented her a license to sell liquor-by-the-drink. the job. He fi red Smith and hired Hayworth two days later. with a peace lily. Presently the Sewanee to Mon- “Th e director of schools told me she wanted our football program teagle section of the MGT ends in cleaned up,” Woodlee said. Aggravated rape charges against several play- Henley Retires from DREMC the fi eld adjacent to Dollar General, ers and a mid-season change of coaches had given the football program said Mountain Goat Trail Alliance a “black eye.” Smith was hired in February after the 2017 season’s close. with 45 Years of Service (MGTA) President Nate Wilson. A former school board member and girls basketball coach at Swiss “Th e reason you don’t see handi- Memorial and GCHS, Woodlee had his eye on Hayworth even before DREMC has reached the end of an era with the retirement of long- capped using the trail is because being appointed to the position of athletic director. time head cashier Terri Henley. Although Henley will not offi cially retire they can’t get to it,” insisted Mon- “‘Hire this guy and you won’t have to worry about Grundy County until the end of 2018, she left the Sewanee offi ce last month with 45 teagle resident Jonathan Grimes. A football,’ people in Sewanee and Winchester told me.” years of dedicated service and is enjoying her vacation until that time. paraplegic, Grimes’ body hits the “I’m the best person for the job,” Hayworth said. “It answers all Henley grew up in Sewanee and graduated from Franklin County ground when he exits the trail on the ‘whys’ in my life, my trials and tribulations and my training and High School. “I graduated in May and started at the DREMC Decherd his hand bike. experience.” offi ce in June of that year,” said Henley. “I was working with the Na- Wilson said the MGTA had “My job is to get the guys back to championship quality and bring tional Store in Cowan as a sales clerk for $1 an hour and helping with raised $19,000 toward completion the community together, to get the team and community reconnected.” the books when the wife of former DREMC employee Bill Miller told of the $30,000 project which will Hayworth favors a “back to basics” approach to coaching. “It’s about me about the job opening.” extend the trail to a handicap acces- building character and a sense of pride, being a mentor to the boys. I Henley shared that one of the biggest changes over the years since she sible ramp at Mountain Outfi tters. want them to be young men who excel in the classroom and are leaders began with DREMC in 1973 has been the way bills are processed and Mountain Outfitters welcomed in society, to teach them to be professionals in life.” mailed to members. She remembers the day when all posting was done on the trail traffi c, Wilson explained, Hayworth is the fi rst African American coach at GCHS. ledgers with balances brought forward and penalties updated manually. while Dollar General did not. “I’m not afraid of the issues outside of football,” Hayworth said. “I’ve “I am fortunate to have worked with parents and children of those Dollar General has pledged lived it and seen the ups and downs. I’ve dealt with every type of person. parents throughout the years—Joe Bill Powers and son Don Powers; fi nancial support of an as yet un- I’m well trained in dealing with issues of negativity.” Floyd Kelley and son David Kelley; and Joyce Posey and daughter Emily determined amount. Wilson asked Hayworth also played three years of arena football with the Nashville Posey,” shared Henley. “It has also been rewarding to be waiting on Monteagle to fund the shortfall, Katz. Sewanee won the conference during his coaching tenure there, and members who used to accompany their parents to pay their bills when not in excess of $7,000; to move Southwest Baptists was in the fi rst or second position in the conference they were just small children.” a water meter hampering the con- the years he coached. “I will miss seeing the members and talking to them. Even with the struction; and to pay for the seed Hayworth cites UT winning the SEC championship when he played advances such as bank draft and online payments, some members still mulch needed for landscaping for the Vols as one of his proudest moments. “It’s hard to pick just one, want to call, and most of the time I can recognize their voices before (cost $750). though,” he said. “I enjoyed all my playing days. I played as hard as I they tell me who they are!” said Henley. Mayor David Sampley con- could and with love.” Living on the mountain has its weather woes during the winter firmed the city’s budget could “Some of the best moments were off the fi eld, visiting children’s months. Henley recalls a beautiful ride into work one ice-storm morn- accommodate the request. Alder- hospitals and helping to feed the hungry.” ing on her son’s four-wheeler all decked out in her helmet and warmest man Susie Zeman abstained from Woodlee interviewed four candidates for the coaching position. winter clothes. “No one at the offi ce knew who I was until I took off my the vote. Hayworth was the fi rst. helmet,” laughed Henley. Th e council deferred a decision “Tracy and I met for fi ve hours,” Woodlee said. “Good things are “Terri spent her last day in the offi ce doing what she does best—taking on Wilson’s proposal Monteagle going to happen. To the negative people who bring up the issue of race, care of the members,” said Decherd Sewanee District Manager Patrick partner with the MGTA in apply- I tell them there’s the door.” Hannah. “We appreciate Terri’s years of service and her dedication to ing for a Recreational Trails and DREMC, and we wish her the best moving forward.” Retirement plans Parks Grant to fund completion for Henley are simple—just take one day at a time. of the trail from Mountain Outfi t- Emily Posey has been named the new Sewanee MSR, having trans- ters to the liquor store. Th e town ferred from the Decherd offi ce. “Emily has spent some time in recent would need to contribute $40,000- months working in Sewanee and is excited about the opportunity to $50,000, Wilson said. Th e funds make it her new home,” commented Hannah. wouldn’t be needed until 2020–21. In the discussion about Jesse’s Grill’s request for a business permit, Community Engages in Vice Mayor Jessica Blalock pointed out the business hoped to receive a Ring Rescue license to sell liquor by the drink. by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer Monteagle zoning forbids sale Love is kind and love is cruel, and sometimes symbols of love fall of liquor by the drink within 300 off steep cliff s. feet of a playground, church or Andrew Amonette, 45, had a plan. He was going to propose to his school. Jesse’s Grill, which opened girlfriend, Carolyn Hicks, 39, on the edge of a bluff that was special to last week, is across the street from them both, a place he had helped name “Andrew’s Hope.” Operating on the ruse they were (Continued on page 6) only visiting friends Daniel and Becky Lehmann and taking in the P.O. Box 296 views on July 28 at the Lehmann’s Sewanee, TN 37375 Wildstream Retreat center and ministry in Monteagle, he led his girlfriend to the place where several years before he made a rock forma- tion that read “hope.” Andrew and Carolyn, both from Nashville, met at Christ Th e University Child Care Center was excited to have three special musical Presbyterian Church in the Music guests visit last week. Tami Hobbs, Will Melnyk and Glyn Melnyk visited with City in summer 2016 when Caro- their violas and cello to play some songs for the children.

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