Tim Melton is leaving Calhoun Academy to become head football and track coach at Delta Academy in Marks.
“There’s a lot of emotion about leaving here, but this was an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up,” Melton said.
Coach Tim Melton
The move to Marks will allow him and his wife Cassie, who teaches at Bruce and coached softball this year, to get back closer to both their parents. Cassie is expected to be approved for a junior high teaching job at South Panola in Batesville.
“It’s hard being on the road all the time. As soon as football is over with, you go straight into basketball and then baseball and spring football,” Melton said. “There’s not a whole lot of time when you have a 20-month old at home to watch her grow up. That was the biggest factor for us.”
Melton has been head coach at Calhoun Academy the past three years. They advanced to the Class A state championship game his first season and have just missed the playoffs the last two years.
“We hate to lose Coach Melton, but wish him the best,” Calhoun Academy Headmaster Donald Pendergrast said.
Gerry Winters will succeed Melton as head football coach. It was Melton who previously succeeded him. Winters was head coach in 2011 when he had to step down for health reasons and Melton, just hired as an assistant, took over as head coach. Winters has remained as an assistant since.
Erick Lofton, a current Cougar assistant, will take over as head coach of the baseball program.
Pendergrast said the school is in the process of looking for a basketball coach.
Melton and his Delta team will return to Calhoun Academy this fall in week two.
“That will be quite a night,” Melton said. “This is a great group of kids and it’ll be tough coming back to coach against them.”
Melton is still coaching the Cougars through the spring, including Friday night’s spring game against Strider and North Sunflower.
The Cougars will play at 4:30 p.m. and approximately 5 p.m. and then Strider and North Sunflower will play each other. Each game will consist of one 20 minute quarter with a running clock.
A steak supper will follow the football games.