Stepping down and stepping up!
After eight years including two undefeated conference championship seasons, DeKalb Saints head football coach Justin Poteete is stepping down this fall but his brother Hunter will be stepping up to succeed him as leader of the middle school program.
Coach Justin guided the 2024 Saints to a 10-0 season and an Upper Cumberland Conference Championship, the program’s first since winning the title in 2018 with an 8-0 record.
Although Coach Justin is relinquishing his head coaching duties, he will remain on the sidelines this fall as a volunteer assistant.
“I just felt like a lot of things for me came full circle last year as far as being head coach of the program. Its been a blessing. I did it (head coach) for eight years but my wife and I had a baby last year and I have other children so I decided to step back and devote more time to my young ones as they are growing up and not miss out too much with them. Hunter and I talked about it and we discussed it with the administration so he will take over the program this year but I will still help out. We’re pretty much just flip-flopping roles. As head coach you have to do a lot of things that sometimes takes your time away from the field, so this year I’m looking forward to just coaching as an assistant,” he explained.
Coach Justin said he is confident the program is in good hands.
“Hunter is more than capable. He ran the offensive side of the ball for the last seven years. It will be a smooth transition. I’m excited to see what the future holds,” he said.
Coach Justin took over the program from former Saints Coach Tad Webb in 2017. Prior to getting the head coaching job, Coach Justin was Coach Webb’s assistant for seven years. Justin will continue to teach 8th grade Social Studies at DeKalb Middle School.
“I want to thank all my players and their families, Coach Webb, my assistant coaches Hunter Poteete, Joseph Pack, Jacob Hale, and Abram Edwards and my family for their support,” said Coach Justin Poteete.