Paducah Middle School announced that long-time PTHS football and track coach Randy Wyatt would return to football as Head Coach of Paducah Middle School Football at a press conference held February 12 at Paducah Middle School.
Wyatt was a dual sport athlete in high school, earning honors in both track and football. He was awarded Kentucky Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year honors for four consecutive years and was named the 1987 Gatorade Kentucky Track Athlete of the Year.
In football, Wyatt quarterbacked the Blue Tornado to three consecutive state championship game appearances and was named one of the top 100 players in the nation as a senior. Wyatt chose to play football at the college level and enjoyed success at both the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky.
Wyatt returned home to Paducah as a track and field coach, where his teams have won multiple State Track and Field Championships.
Wyatt served as head football coach for the Blue Tornado from 2008 to 2013. In 2009 as he led a 4-6 Cinderella Team to a 5-0 playoff mark, including a shutout of Somerset for the Class 3A state Championship.
In his introductory remarks, Paducah Middle Principal Geco Ross spoke of his confidence that Coach Wyatt would continue the commitment to excellence that was expected of Paducah Middle student athletes in the classroom and on the playing field.
“Coach Wyatt is no stranger to the community and has an impeccable coaching pedigree. He is the true embodiment of a Tornado who bleeds blue, and he is committed to establishing a core foundation and lasting discipline as the bedrock of the Tornado brand,” said Ross. “It is our belief that state championships are not won your senior year. They are won in elementary and middle school as a result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution.”
Paducah Tilghman head football coach Sean Thompson spoke of Wyatt’s leadership experience and the role that he would play in providing a solid foundation for the football program.
“Putting Coach Wyatt in the middle as that building block for us to continue to build our success that we are trying to have at every level- it’s huge in having Coach Wyatt in that role because he knows what it takes,” said Thompson “I have no doubt that he will continue to make my job easier because of what he’s been through and the expectations that he sets for himself and the people that he’s going to lead.”
Wyatt expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to coach at Paducah Middle School and reflected on how returning to Paducah Middle School was fitting because it was where he began his athletic career.
“For me, this is where it all started. The fact that I’m back here at the end of my career where it all started means a lot to me,” said Wyatt. “I’m excited, and I look forward to helping Coach Thompson and working hand-in-hand with him to make his job easier for those kids when they make the transition from the middle school to the high school. Our motto is discipline, structure, and order. I’m here to help Paducah Middle School in terms of student athletes. They are going to be leaders within the classroom, within the hallway. They are going to be great examples to kids who are not involved in football. I know that these kids need nurturing more than they need anything at the end of the day. They need to know that they have a resource to come to and talk to. If you do right by kids, everything else will take care of itself.”
You can see a video of the entire press conference here: https://youtu.be/O2p_3q_Ksfw