NATCHEZ — Trey Woodard was born to be a football coach.

Well, not literally, but when your dad has been in coaching for your entire life, what else are you going to do?

So it made perfect sense that when he got out of college he made the decision to do the thing his father has been doing for 34 years.

“I thought there were other things I wanted to be in my life, but at some point I realized it was something I am supposed to be doing,” Trey said. “I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

And to make it even more special, father and son get to work side by side.

Trey, whose given name is James Woodard III, is the offensive coordinator for Natchez High while his father, James Jr., is the defensive line coach.

“(Trey) kind of fell into coaching,” James said. “He is a true student of the game, much more than me. If there’s a book out there on football, he’s read it. I’ve learned a lot more from him than he’s learned from me.”

It’s no surprise that the two coach together. After all, they have spent time on the sideline together since Trey was just a kid.

“He followed me around and went to all the games when he was young,” James said. “He helped out on the sidelines. He was just your typical coach’s son.”

And even though the son is all grown up and is quite a bit larger than his father, the elder Woodard still has seniority, as evidenced by the Natchez High players referring to James as “Big Woodard” and Trey as “Little Woodard”

“I was in the coach’s office one day and (former NHS principal James) Loftin called asking for coach Woodard,” Trey said. “I said, do you want Little Woodard or Big Woodard? He asked who was who and I told him I was Little Woodard. He said ‘How is that possible?’ You’re bigger than he is.”

Trey has a 3-month-old son named James IV, who goes by Jamie, who might just keep the family tradition of coaching alive.

“Lord, I hope not,” Trey said with a smile.

While the Woodards coach together at Natchez High, Craig Beesley is about to start his first season at Cathedral without his father Ken by his side.

Ken Beesley started the Green Wave baseball program in 1972 and became the head football coach in 1978.

He turned the baseball program over to Craig in 2004 and stepped down as the head football coach in 2006.

He stayed on as an assistant baseball coach the past five years, but has retired for good, and will only be watching games from the stands now.

“Craig is an excellent practice coach and organizer,” Ken said. “He just needed to get some game experience. He’s at a point now where he’s ready to do things on his own.”

Ken coached Craig in baseball and football in the late 80s and said his son, who went on to play college baseball for Delta State had the best curve ball he’d ever seen in high school.

He was not surprised when his son told him he wanted to get into teaching and coaching after college, and hoped it would be back at Cathedral.

“When he told me that he wanted to be a teacher and coach when he’s in college, I always had the hope he’d come back to Cathedral,” Ken said. “He started off at Natchez High and got opportunity to come to Cathedral. I’m happy that he did. Cathedral’s always been a family tradition in some way. He just kept the tradition going.”

And Craig didn’t just follow in his dad’s coaching footsteps. He also followed them in the classroom.

“He’s a math teacher like me too,” Ken said. “We’re just keeping it in the family.”

Craig said spending several years as an assistant to his father in baseball and football helped immensely when it came time for him to be the head coach in both sports.

“The best thing about him is that he’s steady and doesn’t let his emotions get to him,” Craig said. “His calm approach helps the kids and keeps them calm in pressure situations.”

It also helps out the younger Beesley, who has been known to let his emotions show at times.

“He throws the rope around me and pulls me back in the dugout sometimes,” Craig said with a laugh. “He settles me down sometimes and settles the kids down a lot.”

Both men say it will be different next year with Ken not in the dugout, but it’s something they’ll adapt to.

“He’s always someone I could turn to in the dugout for advice,” Craig said. “It will be a little different next year with him not there.”

Ken said it will be tough to watch the team play and not be down in the dugout helping out his son.

“It’s been a good learning experience for him as well as me,” he said. “I’ve had to kind of back off the past few years and have him make the decisions. Right now I’m saying I’m not going to miss it, but when it comes around, I know I’ll me it. But it’s time for me to step aside and let him have it to himself.”