Ronnie Watson had a successful career in business, but his heart wasn’t in it. The Buckhorn Class of ‘96 football and baseball player knew that he wanted to get back on the playing field as a teacher of student-athletes.

That dream came true when he became a volunteer football coach at Sparkman for the freshman team. “I’d leave my job at 2 o’clock to get to practice,” Watson said. “I was also traveling a lot for business, but I’d never miss a game. I’d sometimes have to fly in for a game. I was working, going to school and (coaching) just to have the opportunity to do this. My wife thought I was crazy because I got to work at 2 in the morning sometimes just to get things done so I’d have time for football.”

Watson’s dedication paid off. He was named the new head football coach at Sparkman High last month, culminating his 14 years with the program and eighth year as a full-time employee. He replaces Laron White, who retired after the 2022 season with a 34-30 record in six years in Harvest.

“He completely changed the paradigm when he got here,” Watson said. “I want to continue building and growing off of that.”

Watson, who has been the Senators’ head wrestling coach for the past eight years where he led the girls’ squad to a state title this season, said he intends to bring the four pillars he built his wrestling program on to the football team. “It’s R.A.R.E.,” he said. “That stands for Respect, Aggressive, Resilience and Excellence. If we do that, we’re going to be doing the right things. It’s not just to make them better on the football field, but to be better going through life. It’s bigger than just the sport.

“We have to teach life lessons for after they graduate,” Watson said, “that’s the focus – what happens after graduation. When does the coaching process stop? It doesn’t. After graduation, you’re supporting and backing these guys the rest of their life. Any coach worth anything knows it doesn’t stop.”

Watson worked with four Sparkman head coaches – Roger Haynes, Timothy Gillespie, Chris Cagle and White. He became the middle linebackers coach for Gillespie and was director of football operations for Cagle. He was named defensive coordinator in White’s second year – 2018.

His first defense gave up just 16.8 points per game and three of the past four Senators’ teams allowed fewer than 20 points a game.

“I’ve been doing a little bit of everything,” the 45-year-old coach said. “I’ve done coaching stuff, administrative stuff and for the past eight years I was the head wrestling coach.

“We have to get better on the little things. I’m going to make sure we’re doing things to best prepare the kids so we can outwork teams in the fourth quarter, to have that mentality that we’ll be able to grind in the fourth quarter. If you’re tired, you can’t think and execute. I want everybody to come together, and I want that ‘Excellence’ part at the end of R.A.R.E.”

Watson said he retired from the business world to pursue his dream after he made one realization.

“I had always known in my heart I wanted to get into teaching and coaching,” he said, “but it was just in business the money was so good. As I got older, I found out that money is not the most important thing. I’ve known since my wife and I first got married and I said to her that was what I really wanted to do. It took a few years for me to get my head on straight and do what the good Lord wanted me to do.

“From a young age, I was breaking down football games. When I played, I was not the best player on the field, but I was the smartest.”

At Sparkman’s Ninth Grade School, Watson teaches AP World History and Honors History. He’s not certain if he’ll continue there or move to the high school next fall.

The Senators begin spring drills on April 25 and will finish with a game at Hueytown on May 12.