Head football coach Tankersley talks about coming to SCHS
The newly hired football coach for the Stephens County Indians was in town last Friday to meet with the team and community. Wesley Tankersley will succeed Frank Barden as head football coach of the Indians after Barden resigned in late November. Tankersley comes to Toccoa from Ridgeland High School in Rossville, Georgia, near Chattanooga, Tenn., where he’s been head football coach for the past 3 seasons. He said the winning tradition is a big reason he is coming to Stephens County.
Coach Tankersley brings with him his wife, Bree, two sons—Ritt and Brock—and a daughter, Brylee. Last year, his Ridgeland squad went undefeated in the regular season, before losing in the second round of the state playoffs to Jefferson. He says it was a difficult decision to leave Ridgeland.
Coach Tankersley spent 3 seasons as an assistant coach before getting his first head coaching job at his alma mater, Gilmer County. He led them to the playoffs 4 out of his 7 seasons, and worked for current Stephens County School Superintendent, Bryan Dorsey. Coach Tankersley says he wants to be a part of the community.
The new coach hopes to be on the job by the 1st of February. In addition to coaching the football team, he will also teach the weight training classes. He says one of the first things he’ll do is meet with the current assistant coaches and assemble the football staff, and then make plans for spring practice.