Barrett Donahoe’s journey to a master’s degree started in June 2013.
Prior to taking an official step to become certified to be an administrator, Donahoe worked with Heritage Academy Headmaster Dr. Greg Carlyle to handle as many administrative responsibilities as he could between his work as the school’s principal, athletic director, and football coach.
As much as Donahoe loves being a football coach, his decision to go back to school set the stage for him to realize an opportunity to be a full-time administrator at a school in Mississippi.
Donahoe realized that chance last week, when he accepted a job offer to become headmaster at Marshall Academy, a Mississippi Association of Independent School member school in Holly Springs.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to continue to grow and take on new challenges and roles from an administrative standpoint,” said Donahoe, who completed his master’s coursework in December 2014 at Mississippi University for Women. “I am a firm believer of the private schools and the MAIS. I grew up in private schools, and I have made a lot of connections and know a lot of great people in the MAIS. I am just really excited about the opportunity.”
Donahoe said he informed his players at Heritage Academy about his decision last week. He said he hasn’t ruled out coaching in the future, and that leaving his current players was one of the toughest parts of the decision to leave Columbus. He didn’t set a timetable for his departure. He said he would try to go to Marshall Academy once a week in an attempt to ease his transition. He also said he hopes to assist in the transition for his replacement(s) and make that process as seamless as possible.
“When the opportunity presented itself to become the head of the school at a place I was familiar with and where I had relationships with people I knew, I felt like the timing was right and it was time to make that move,” Donahoe said.
Donahoe came to Heritage Academy in 2012 after serving as football coach at Marshall Academy. Donahoe replaced Keith Wicker at Marshall Academy, a Class AA school, and guided the program to an 11-2 record. Marshall Academy lost to River Oaks (Louisiana) 28-22 in the Class AA North State playoff game.
Donahoe, who is from Crystal Springs, replaced Brad Butler as football coach at Heritage Academy. He led the Patriots to a 25-23 record in four seasons, including a Class AAA, Division II state title in 2012. Heritage Academy beat magnolia Heights 10-3 in the Class AAA, Division II title game to cap a season-ending five game winning streak.
Heritage Academy advanced to the playoffs in three of Donahoe’s four seasons as coach.
“It is almost like a blur now,” Donahoe said of the season and remembering conversations with former assistant coach Tate Marsh, who died last July. “The game itself seems like it was just a short moment in time and that it was there and gone. It was a tremendous year.”
Donahoe said there were great wins in each of the four seasons. He pointed to a win at Leake Academy this season that paved the way for Heritage Academy to advance to the playoffs. He pointed to a 24-21 loss at Lamar School in 2013 as another strong effort by his players.
“I feel very confident in the job we have done here,” Donahoe said. “If nothing else was accomplished, and I feel like there were other things accomplished, I feel the program is in better shape than what we found.”
Donahoe graduated from Copiah Academy in Gallman and Ole Miss. His coaching resume includes stops at Lee Academy in Arkansas, Jackson Academy, Tri-County in Flora, Copiah Academy, and Pillow Academy. He spent three years at Tri-County, including one as football coach. He was an assistant coach at Copiah Academy and Pillow Academy in Greenwood.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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