After contemplating but putting off a move up the ladder, longtime East Ridge High School wrestling coach Brad Jackson finally moved into administration this year by accepting an assistant principal’s job at East Hamilton.
His successor at East Ridge, Brad Laxton, was bumped from jobs as a teacher and assistant wrestling coach at East Hamilton by a displaced teacher.
“I didn’t inherit a broken program,” said Laxton, who was hired late at East Ridge and then only because he could fill two certifications within the history department. “I feel [Jackson] left me a better situation than he had most of the time he was here.”
East Ridge’s long-successful program has been weakened in recent years by injuries and defections.
“I was in the Goss [wrestling] building and I saw a long list of champions and a short list of coaches,” Laxton said. “I hope to build on what Brad and the coaches before him have done.”
Laxton is the twin of former Bradley Central coach Chad Laxton. They won seven Alabama state championships between them.
The new Pioneers coach signed with the Air Force Academy and wrestled one season for the Falcons. He earned his degree and teaching certificates from Athens (Ala.) State.
He spent several summers as a guide working for Ocoee River rafting outfitters and met his wife on the river. Though they have traveled to Florida and Hawaii, they pretty much decided they wanted to settle in Chattanooga.
During his latest return to Chattanooga, Laxton was asked by Ooltewah coach Wendell Weathers to get his certification and apply for a teaching position there. Laxton was to replace Owls assistant Ryan Cooper, who was going to coach at East Hamilton. However, no job opened at Ooltewah, but Laxton finally got a temporary teaching position at East Hamilton and wound up assisting Cooper.
“I talked with Wendell and went through the process and realized how much I had missed [teaching and coaching], and I was delighted when I got the East Hamilton position,” Laxton said.
So he has moved from temporary teacher and coach at East Hamilton to history teacher and coach at East Ridge.
“With education demands like they are now, I had to hire a teacher before I could hire a coach,” said East Ridge principal Zac Brown, a former head wrestling coach. “He was hired as a teacher first, and then I offered him the job as our wrestling coach.
“I felt good about him as a teacher, and he had great references from people in the wrestling community. I could probably have hired someone to coach the teach that wasn’t on the faculty, but I think it’s important to have a faculty person as a head coach. It’s someone who’s going to see the kids day in and day out.”
Former East Ridge state champion Jimmy Fredericks is coaching the youth program in East Ridge, and former Pioneers state medalist Chris Bird will continue as the middle school coach.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765.