Football is a game of timing. For Tecumseh High School Football Coach Kent Massie, he decided that with the health issues that he dealt with over the past year and various other outside personal issues, Massie told the New Carlisle News that he was ready to step down as the head coach of the Arrows.
Massie, who was at the helm of the Arrows for ten full seasons which included seven trips to the OHSAA playoffs, thought he had gotten the health issues under control. Massie realized with the amount of time and energy he devotes to the football program, he didn’t take the necessary steps to keep the issue maintained. Last season, he stepped away during the season as Chris Cory took over on the sidelines for the Arrows.
According to Massie, there have been numerous outside personal issues, including the failing health of his father who manages the multiple rental properties that coach Massie owns, along with the death of his aunt, uncle, and close friend and mentor Tuffy Thompson, plus the increased activities of his own children, it all came together at the same time.
His wife also has a very demanding work schedule, juggling her career with the demands of raising their children and his football schedules. After meeting with his physician, the recommendation was to lessen his stress levels and reprioritize things in his life, meaning that for now, football has to go.
“I feel that the 20 years I have personally invested in building the Tecumseh football program will keep going strong without me at the helm,” Massie said on Saturday from his home, “I have hired a staff of assistant coaches who over the years have helped me take these young men to great places.”
“My decision to step away from this program was not easy for me,” he added. “Especially knowing how successful I believe we can be. I love football and especially Tecumseh football, but timing really is everything and right now, I had to make this difficult decision.”
Wins and losses aside, Massie will miss the interaction with the kids and coaching staff.
“I am very proud of this program, and not just the success in terms of winning, but in building relationships with the young men that have played here,” Massie said. “When you are a head coach, you can either treat it like a hobby or a profession.”
“It’s a year-round job that demands an enormous amount of time. I have always treated this as a profession and I have enjoyed helping young men reach their full potential in every aspect of life.”
Massie, who will continue to teach at the high school, finished his tenure with the Arrows 71-44, and in 40 years of Tecumseh football before Massie arrived, the Arrows accumulated 115 wins. In the 23 seasons’ with Massie as either as assistant under Bob DeLong or as head coach, Tecumseh won 155 games.
His resume is solid. He was named Coach of the Year for the 2006, 2008 and 2009 season in various avenues, including the Miami Valley Football Coaches Association, Clark County, Springfield News Sun, all-area or all-district. He was also head coach of the Miami Valley Football Coaches Association North all-star team in 2007, and won the Region 14 Ethics and Sportsmanship Award for the state in 2006, 2009 and 2010.
With all of that behind him, Massie looks forward to supporting the Arrows and knows they will be very talented in the next few years.
“The program is sound,” he said. “There are excellent coaches at the high school, and we have a great supportive administration at Tecumseh, and some great parents. There is a wealth of talent and even more coming up the ranks in our youth programs.”
“The tradition is already established and combining with the new league structure in 2016, there will be exciting times for the Tecumseh football program.”
While Massie leaves this program, he is not excluding a coaching stint sometimes down the road.
“During this quarter in my life, I felt like there was really no alternative. I am not saying you won’t see me coaching again sometime in the future, but for now, it’s my time to punt.”
