POTEAU, Okla. — On Monday, Aug 26, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Greg Warner announced he was resigning from all duties at Poteau Public Schools.
Warner resigned just four days before the team's first game against Booneville on Friday.
"Coach Warner has been a staple of our football program," said Scott Kempenich, Superintendent for Poteau Public Schools. "It's a big hit to our community, but we will all work together. We'll group up as a team, and we'll move forward."
The former coach won a state championship with the Pirates in 2019. He also served as the district's athletic director.
When asked why Warner resigned from his positions and so soon to the season starting, Kempenich said he couldn't answer.
"We can't have an official statement on that. Every individual person gets to resign on that, and they get to take some of that with them," Kempenich said. "We're not in control of when we get a resignation letter from any of our employees. In a perfect world, yes, we would like to have had this happen earlier. However, it didn't."
He said the timing of the resignation is tough but he's confident they have a great staff for the season.
"It's tough as a student when you when you lose a coach, so I'm sure there's, there's a whole array of emotions coming from our students," Kempenich said. "I think they're going to be able to funnel that emotion into the football season and try to get it redirected into a positive direction."
Defensive Coordinator Mike Odom has stepped into the role as interim head coach.
"We've got a 17-year vet right here in Poteau. He's been the assistant head coach, he's been the DC, he has been Poteau football," Kempenich said.
"I just like being a coach. I just like the idea of working with the kids. You get to share the experiences that you had," Odom said. "With each group that you get come up, you got to find out what motivates them and what's the best, what's the best system for those kids."
Odom said he felt at ease with the transition for himself but was more worried about the kids. He said he's felt support from everyone around him.
"I have some great guys that I work with. And luckily, I have some great kids here in Poteau, kids that football is important to, kids that have their priorities straight. Kids understand they only get so many opportunities to go out on Friday nights and do this," Odom said. "It made things really easy."
He said this year's team is very talented and fast, and he hopes this will push them towards a successful season as head coach.
"This group here, I would say, gives the most effort out of any group, collectively as a team that in any group I've ever had," Odom said.
Eric Hackler, who was the assistant principal at Poteau High School has stepped into the role of athletic director.
"This is something you never planned for and that's part of education. It's part of administration," Hackler said. "I'm excited about the future of Poteau. I just think getting an opportunity to get closer to the coaches and work with them, and just seeing their vision for their programs."
He said he's looking forward to seeing what Odom will bring with leading the team.
"I feel really comfortable with him leading the program, and he's been a part of all the success that we've had since we in the last 17 years," Hackler said. "I couldn't be prouder of the decision we have for Mike to take over the program, and it's in good hands."
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