By Chris McCarthy/Editor
Westbrook Christian head football coach Shea Monroe resigned earlier this week.
Assistant coach Brian Mintz was named interim head coach.
Westbrook athletic director and baseball coach Matt Kennedy confirmed that he met with Monroe on Sept. 6, during which time Monroe tendered his resignation effective immediately.
Kennedy declined to comment on the reason for Monroe’s departure, other than to acknowledge that is was a mutual decision.
Monroe was hired last December and coached the Warriors’ first two games this season. He replaced Tony Osborne, who had been Westbrook head coach for 20 years.
“We felt that it was not in the school’s best interests for [Monroe] to remain as head football coach,” said Kennedy. “Coach Monroe was in agreement that we should move in a different direction. It was a mutual parting of ways. We’ve developed a friendship since he’s been with us, and I wish Coach Monroe the best. I still think he’ll make a great head coach one day.”
Mintz is well known locally both as a player and coach. A 1981 Southside High graduate, he earned second team Birmingham News All-State honors as a quarterback following the 1980 football season. He then played football at Jacksonville State, earning two letters in 1982-83. He graduated from JSU in 1985.
“Coach Mintz is a veteran with proven success as a head coach,” said Kennedy. “I’m sure he’ll bring a different style and energy to the program, but the biggest thing is to keep the guys that are out there together as a team, and I’ve no doubt that Coach Mintz will do that.”
Mintz’s coaching career started at Ragland in 1988, where he remained for three seasons before moving to Glencoe for six years. The Yellow Jackets went 36-33 with three playoff appearances and two region titles.
In 1997, Mintz returned to Southside for four years before moving back to Ragland, where he posted a 65-31 record and led the Purple Devils to the state playoffs in each of his eight years at the school. His 2011 team finished 13-1 and made it to the state semifinals. Mintz was an assistant for Westbrook for the 2015 football season.
“It’s a difficult situation for the kids, but I feel like in just the past three days, we’ve made some progress toward healing and getting back on track,” said Mintz, who is a member of the St. Clair County Sports Hall of Fame. “The kids were obviously disappointed, but at the same time, I’ve felt a little bit of a renewal of spirit. So we’re hoping that we’re going to do something positive here in the future weeks.”
Mintz also stressed the important of teaching his players Christian values along with football knowledge.
“Football’s very important as long as it’s in the proper priority. We work with these young men day in and day out, and at a Christian school, we as coaches would be neglectful if we didn’t instruct them on how to be victorious in eternity. If you can keep faith, family and football in that order, it makes for a good life.”
This article was supplemented by ahsfhs.org.