First year Wellington head coach Greg Proffitt was 36-35 in six seasons as the head coach at Goldthwaite. [Kale Steed/ Press Pass Sports]
Wade Williams stunned Wellington Independent School District when he handed in his retirement letter on March 5.
Coming off another great year at 12-1 and talent coming back, most Skyrocket fans expected their successful head football coach to return to the sideline for the 2019 season.
Williams departing left massive shoes to fill in the football program.
When Williams took over his hometown team in 2008, he immediately blasted the Skyrockets into an instant small school power state-wide.
He finished at Wellington with an unprecedented 112-22 record over 11 years, leading the Skyrockets to five state semifinal appearances and a 2013 Class 1A Division II state championship.
Through a lengthy search that lasted over six weeks, WISD superintendent Kurt Ashmore eventually found his new man in Greg Proffitt from Goldthwaite.
“Greg comes from a coaching family,” Ashmore said. “He’s been around coaching his entire life, and was a great fit for Wellington. He was an offensive coordinator on a state championship team, he’s competitive and can help teams be successful.”
The 35-year old coach is no stranger to a legacy-type program, coming from a tradition-rich school like Goldthwaite.
Proffitt was the head coach of the Eagles the past six years, following his father, Gary, who is a Texas legend.
In 34 years at the helm at Goldthwaite, Gary won 237 games and three state championships (1993-1994, 2009).
“One reason I wanted this job is Wellington does stuff similar to what I grew up in,” said Proffitt, who was 36-35 in six years with the Eagles. “Wellington is a traditional football powerhouse, and you’re going to fill some big footsteps. I’m not fixing something that’s broken. We want to keep doing the same things that’s been done here.”
Proffitt knows the precedent set by Williams, and the community’s strong desire of being one of the best small school football teams in Texas on a yearly basis.
Leaving his hometown and taking over a program with such a tradition as Wellington could be intimidating. However, Proffitt sees it as a grand opportunity.
“Wellington has an expectation,” said Proffitt, who was a student coach for Williams at Hico from 2003-2005. “When you approach the players in two-a-days it’s something you address. But if you’re a competitor, you want to succeed. Expectation is anywhere you go. It doesn’t matter which sport it is. I’m just a coach that likes to go out and win.”
Wellington senior leader John Michael Holcomb, a tight end with 14 Division I scholarship offers, says it didn’t take the team long to buy into their new leader.
“Coach Proffitt is easy to get along with and he knows his football,” Holcomb said. “I don’t expect anything to change other than some things to get used to. But it’s still the same staff, the same guys on the team and hit you in the mouth football.”