Legendary baseball coach Bobby Howard resigns from Central High

After two seasons at Central High School in Phenix City, legendary Chattahoochee Valley high school baseball coach Bobby Howard confirmed Wednesday he has resigned his position.

Howard confirmed the decision via text message. He declined to discuss reasons, saying he would talk more about it in a few weeks, but did confirm he is not retiring. Howard said it was time for a “new and different voice” at Central.

Central athletic director Bobby Wright said Howard made his decision known on Wednesday.

“I really felt coach Howard was going to be back with us next year,” Wright said. “I consider him a friend of mine as well as a great coach and probably one of the best coaches to come through our system. I truly wish him well in his endeavors, because he deserves everything he’ll get and what he’s gotten so far.”

Howard had just finished his second season as Red Devils head coach. Central posted a 21-17 record in the 2017 season and lost in the first round of the Class 7A state playoffs to Theodore.

“Central High School is very appreciative of the time that Coach Howard was our varsity baseball coach,” Central principal Thomas Vickers said. “He instilled a tremendous amount of values and work ethic into our student athletes. The on-the-field accomplishments of winning an area championship and going to the playoffs back-to-back years for the first time in over 10 years is second only to his commitment to developing quality young men for life. We wish him the best of luck and celebrate having been a part of a tremendous career.”

Howard has won more than 900 games and 12 state championships while coaching at his alma mater Jordan Vocational High School, Kendrick High School, Middle Georgia College and Columbus High School.

He also has also racked up an impressive list of individual honors, including the Diamond Baseball National Coach of the Year in 2000 and the ESPN High School Coach of the Year in 2012. He was a state coach of the year at least 11 times.

Among his many outstanding players was Frank Thomas at Columbus High. In his National Baseball Hall of Fame speech at Cooperstown, N.Y., Thomas lauded his coach, saying, “You made me grow up in a hurry, and your no-nonsense approach to the game was needed at an early age. You set my foundation for life. Love you and thank you.”

Howard has served the National High School Baseball Coaches Association for five years as a member of the Southeast All Region/All American Committee. He gave one of the clinic sessions in 2011 titled “Off the Wall Coaching Points.” He was inducted into Columbus State University Hall of Fame in 1998, the Georgia Dugout Club Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Howard’s exit from Central is reminiscent of his departure from the Blue Devils. After 30 seasons at Columbus, he abruptly retired three games into the 2015 season.

“I told them I was 64 years old — older than any of their parents — and I was walking out and moving on,” Howard said at the time. “I have earned the right to move on.”

Columbus assistant baseball coach and athletic director Chad Mathis assumed head coaching duties at that time. Mathis, who just finished his second full season as Blue Devils head coach, said Wednesday he was unaware of Howard’s resignation from Central and added he is not returning to Columbus.

Howard is married to the former Vicki Lynn Welsh. He has two daughters, Mandy and Lindsey Rae, and one son, Will.

Wright, meanwhile, explained what’s next for the Central baseball program.

“The next step is, of course, for us to post the position,” Wright said. “After we post the position, we’ll go through the interviewing process. We’re going to try and find the best coach we could possibly find and one we think is a good fit for our program. We’re going to move forward.”

Vickers offered further insight on that coaching search.

“Central High School baseball is in tremendous shape for the next head coach to come in and continue to be successful,” Vickers said. “We should have someone in place by the end of next week in order to facilitate summer practices.”

This story was originally published May 24, 2017 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Legendary baseball coach Bobby Howard resigns from Central High."