Whitehead Resigns, Will Be Missed

Henri Whitehead, a cross country and track coach, as well as an English teacher for McDonald County High School, had his resignation accepted by the board of education at the board’s May 14 meeting.
Henri Whitehead, a cross country and track coach, as well as an English teacher for McDonald County High School, had his resignation accepted by the board of education at the board’s May 14 meeting.

One of McDonald County's longest tenured coaches not only resigned his coaching duties but also left the district to join the faculty at Neosho High School.

Henri Whitehead, a cross country and track coach, as well as an English teacher, had his resignation accepted by the board of education at the board's May 14 meeting.

Whitehead joined the district in 2012. He coached in various roles for eight years, serving the past three years as head boys' track coach and last year as head cross country coach, as well.

His boys' team won the first-ever expanded Big 8 Conference championship last year. He has also had three boys earn all-state honors in Class 4, the school's first in that classification.

In addition, he served as an assistant cross country coach for six years and one year as a junior high head cross country coach where the eighth-grade girls won the conference.

He was also an assistant junior high track coach for five years.

Whitehead said he is leaving coaching for the time being because his children are starting to run cross country and track and he wants to help facilitate their career.

"My own kids are now starting their cross country and track careers this fall and I want to be an involved parent," Whitehead said. "I've watched so many athletes succeed because of supportive parents and I want to make sure I give my own kids that same support."

Whitehead said his success as a coach at McDonald County High School came from talented athletes and the community support the program had while he was coaching.

"I've always felt incredible support from the parents of the community and I've been lucky enough to be around some absolutely stellar athletes," Whitehead said. "I don't think I ever had to do much 'coaching' because I was given such great athletes. All I had to do was focus on getting these kids out and engaged in track -- they did the rest. This community has a wealth of talent; it just needs to be tapped into."

Whitehead said he does not plan to coach at Neosho at this time.

"I'm not currently planning to apply for any coaching positions at Neosho," Whitehead said. "I'm taking this as an early retirement from coaching until my kids all graduate."

He said that stepping down as a coach does not have anything to do with his leaving the district as a teacher. He will remain a resident of the county and stay involved with the school and athletic programs as a community member.

"I will still be living here in Anderson and I feel like I can do more to help the school as a community member than as a teacher," Whitehead said. "Over the past two years, the high school has had no clear direction -- just constant chaos. Recently, the school has made decisions that I feel only exacerbate that chaos. I'm heading to Neosho for the promise of a more stable and supportive work environment under a principal that I know and trust profoundly. As someone who still lives in this town and wants to get more involved, I plan on being an active campaigner for the upcoming school board elections."

Bo Bergen, athletic director at McDonald County High School, said he hated to see Whitehead resign his coaching duties.

"We are sad to see Coach Whitehead go, but I understand his reasons," Bergen said. "His kids are getting older and he wants to watch them compete more. I appreciate the time he invested into our cross country and track athletes and his leadership he provided. What I appreciate most about him is his team-first mentality that he cultivated within those programs. That mentality led us to our first-ever boys' conference title last year. The district is fortunate to have had Coach Whitehead leading our cross country and track programs the past few years. He will be missed."

Bergen said a replacement will be made as soon as possible.

"The search for a replacement is ongoing," Bergen said. "Internal and external applicants will be considered, but our priority is obviously to find the best possible person to lead each program. We will fill that spot with someone who will build on the foundation that has been set and who will continue developing a winning culture in both programs."

Whitehead, who missed the past track season due to the covid-19 outbreak, had over 120 athletes on the boys and girls teams for the 2020 season before school was canceled.

Sports on 05/28/2020