NATCHEZ — Former Natchez High head football coach Roy Rigsby said he appreciates the opportunity to coach at Natchez High School for four seasons.

Rigsby submitted his resignation on Dec. 17.

Rigsby said he decided to resign as head coach due to important family things happening at the moment.

Rigsby said he’s still going to continue teaching social studies and special education for the Natchez-Adams School District until the school district hires a replacement.

From his time as head coach, Rigsby said he’s going to remember the players he coached.

“The ups-and-downs always come but you always remember the players and the development of them,” Rigsby said. “That’s my favorite thing about coaching.”

Rigsby said the love of football began when he played peewee football in Magee, Mississippi.

“I was raised on football, ever since I can remember,” Rigsby said. “My dad (Roy Rigsby Sr.) was my peewee coach. Football has just been part of my life. You always want to do something you love, so coaching was the most natural thing for me.”

Rigsby has coached high school football for 17 years. In 2008, Rigsby began as a receivers/running backs/defensive backs coach at Bassfield High School. The following year, he was moved up to coaching linebackers and defensive backs. Then for two years, Rigsby was the Defensive Coordinator. Rigsby left Bassfield High School in 2011 and decided to return home to coach at Magee High School.

Rigsby left Magee High School and became the defensive line coach for Natchez High School Bulldogs in 2015, coaching under Henry Garner. In 2016, Rigsby was named the head coach.

The same year Rigsby was named head coach, Steve Collins, who is currently the defensive back coach at Delta Charter, coached the defensive line for Natchez in 2016. Collins said he worked for Rigsby for three years.

“When you think about Coach Rigsby, you think about discipline,” Collins said. “He was big on discipline and he believed in everyone doing their fair share of the work.”

Collins said Rigsby is going to be missed in Natchez.

Rigsby said one of his favorite memories of coaching at Natchez High is from the 2018 season when the Bulldogs won in the last few seconds against Brookhaven High School to earn an opportunity to go to the playoffs.

“That game was memorable because it was a back-and-forth game, took a whole lot of fight from the players and the attitude the players played with was big.”

This season, the Bulldogs finished 4-7 and sixth place in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A Region 3 standings.

In Rigsby’s coaching career at Natchez High, his overall record was 27-41. Rigsby led the Bulldogs to two winning record seasons, one in 2017 (6-5) and again in 2018 (7-6).

In the 2018 season, the Bulldogs advanced to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A playoffs. Natchez High lost 55-8 to Picayune Memorial High School in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.

One of the players who played for the Bulldogs in the 2018 season was Shavoke Herrington. For the Bulldogs that season, Herrington compiled 40 total tackles, four interceptions and one fumble recovery.

“Coach Rigsby is one of my favorite coaches,” Herrington said. “He has played a very important role in my life involving football.”

Rigsby said he is thankful for his time coaching at Natchez High School.

“The thing I want to say is I appreciate Natchez-Adams School District for giving me the opportunity,” Rigsby said. “I’m grateful for it and learned a tremendous amount coaching there. I appreciate the kids, the staff and everyone who supports us.”