High school head coach resigns after AD covertly promotes assistant to co-head coach

Wickenburg HS (AZ) head coach Mike Mitchell had fully intended to return to lead the program for another season, but instead he's ended up resigning after a really unique situation unfolded with administration.

The decision came after school administration decided to promote a member of Mitchell's staff to co-head coach without as much as a courtesy conversation with him.

That was the final straw for the veteran head coach.

"Our athletic director made a step that I didn't appreciate," Mitchell told the Arizona Republic. "I just decided it was time to leave."

"To have a guy do that without even talking to me, it's just not how I'm going to do business."

Matt Johnson, the school's athletic director, chalks the situation up to a miscommunication, and shares that he asked Mitchell to "coach up an assistant."

Back in the fall, Mitchell shares that he was disciplined for spending his own money on equipment because he didn't fill out the proper paperwork. It was months later, in March, before Mitchell says he was issued the first write up in his 50-year coaching career.

At Wickenburg, Mitchell was 24-17 overall with three trips to the state playoffs.

The 76-year old Mitchell has since landed on his feet as the head coach at Caldera HS (Bend, OR).

For all aspiring head coaches out there, file this story under "Lessons learned by proxy," and have some long conversations with your administration before accepting a head coaching opportunity.

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