#HSFT22 STOP #1 — Okolona Chieftains

There’s a new face at the helm of Okolona football. Head coach Anthony Watt left his assistant job at West Point for the opportunity.

His dream was to coach at his alma mater, East Oktibbeha, but it consolidated with Starkville High School.

“I feel like this program was the closest program that mirrored East Oktibbeha,” Watt said. “So when I got the opportunity, I was overjoyed.”

Watt is taking over for Lamart Harvey who took an assistant job at East Union. The kids were sad to see him go but know that’s how the world works.

“Sometimes everything has an expiration date,” senior Jayden Lowe said. “And when you pass it expiration day, we got to learn how to get past it and go to better things.”

Watt brings a wealth of winning experience with him to Okolona. He helped lead West Point to two state championship victories. And he’s carrying what he learned over there to his new team.

 “It’s hard to come from a program where you’ve been in six state championships and not wanting to instill it,” Watt said. “So, the first thing I did when I got here was I incorporated our weight room flow here to look like the weight room flow at West Point.”

One part of returning Okolona back to its previous success is reminding the players of the past. Watt said he plans on posting signs to remind them of the 1993 state championship team.

“He’s the best really, he came in and changed a lot,” senior Jerrian Beene said. “We’re getting used to getting up and winning.”