After spending the last two decades turning Trinity High School into a Kentucky football powerhouse, legendary coach Bob Beatty is calling it a career.
Beatty announced his retirement Thursday after posting a 254-44 record and winning 15 state championships over 21 seasons with Trinity. Beatty posted a remarkable 90-6 record in postseason play, including a 15-2 mark in state championship games. He went 218-22 against in-state competition and never went more than one season without winning a state title.
The 65-year-old Beatty also had a four-year run of championships from 2005-08 and a pair of three-peats from 2001-03 and 2010-12. He ended his coaching career with a 28-0 shutout of Male High School for the Class 6A state championship on Dec. 19. Trinity was dominant throughout 2020, allowing only 4.8 points per game and closing the season with three straight shutouts.
“Believe it or not, it’s a happy day,” Beatty said, per Jason Frakes of the Courier-Journal. “I’m not one for tears, but I am one for excitement. Jayne and I are ready to move on.”
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Beatty’s 2011 team was his best, as Trinity went 14-0 and was declared national champion by Rivals, Scout, Sports Illustrated and the Massey Ratings.
“The record speaks for itself,” said Jay Cobb, Trinity’s longtime defensive coordinator. “I don’t think it will ever be equaled.”
Beatty said he and his wife, Jayne, have been planning their retirement for two years and will finish out the school year at their respective schools (Jayne is a history teacher at Kentucky Country Day School) before moving to a new house on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.
“I’m ready for the next chapter,” Beatty said. “So many people have asked, ‘What are you going to do?’ A lot. I’m going to do a lot. I’m excited about it. I’ll start doing some things around the house that normally we’d hire somebody to do because I didn’t have time.”
As for Trinity, its search for a new head coach begins. Athletic Director Rob Saxton said he expects the quest for Beatty’s replacement to span far and wide, and a search committee will be put together in order to ensure a quality candidate is hired to step into the large shoes Beatty leaves behind.
“Trinity won a lot of football games before I got there,” Beatty said. “And they’re going to win a lot more football games when I leave.”