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Crater coach Randy Heath resigns By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune After four seasons as head coach of the Crater High football team, Randy Heath has resigned effective Friday. Heath said he notified the school Monday that Friday would be his last day as football coach and physical education teacher at Crater High. "Officially it hasn't happened yet but that is the plan," Heath said on Wednesday, adding that the final paperwork is merely a formality. When reached for comment Wednesday, Crater High Principal Karen Lynch and Athletic Director Dan Speasl re-iterated that Heath had resigned Monday but declined further comment. "All I can let you know is we have received his resignation and he stated he has resigned for personal reasons," said Lynch. Heath came to Crater with a standout football resume built in his playing days at Medford High and Linfield College. He was a starting safety on two NAIA national championship teams at Linfield. Under Heath, the Comets went 8-28 in four seasons, including a 7-21 ledger in the Southern Oregon Conference. Heath took over a 4-5 team that placed sixth in the SOC in 1997 under Hal Rose and posted back-to-back fifth-place efforts in the SOC. The success rate dropped dramatically the past two seasons, however, as Crater posted an 0-9 campaign in 2000 and 1-8 mark this fall. Despite the on-field woes, Heath said his decision involved personal matters he would "just as soon not get into." "It's beyond football," he said. "It had nothing to do with that and it had nothing to do with the kids. It doesn't have anything to do with wins and losses. "It's a personal decision I'm making. I've got to take care of some things at this time." Heath said he informed his players of his intentions following Friday's season-ending 42-21 loss at Klamath Union. "They were upset," Heath said. "We've worked together for four years and even some of those younger kids I taught them at Scenic Middle School. It's sad on both ends but it's something that has to be done." Lynch said no plans were in place as of Wednesday to hire a permanent replacement for Heath in the school's physical education department. She said the school would turn to substitute teachers to help fill the void. Speasl declined comment on a search to fill the vacated football position. Heath, who has four children in the Crater School District, said he will weigh his options as to whether he will remain in Central Point or go elsewhere. "There will be a time when I teach and coach again," he said. "I still have my teaching license, I'm just taking a little time away. I've got some time to think about all that later." Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.