Danny Cronic, one of the most successful coaches in Coweta County history, announced Tuesday that he has decided to retire as head football coach of the East Coweta Indians.

Cronic seriously considered retiring last October after attending the funeral of a former player, Nate Hill, in LaGrange. He said his decision became final on Valentine’s Day this month.

“At Nate Hill’s funeral, there was something that let me know that it would be alright to retire,” Cronic said. “I prayed it about it. I’m tired. I want to focus on playing golf, visiting my family and traveling.”

He said his experience at East Coweta has been a memorable one.

“I’ve been blessed with being a coach at East Coweta,” Cronic said. “It’s been good, exciting and positive. I like to think we did things the right way here.”

One aspect of coaching at East Coweta that Cronic will miss most is the school’s annual rivalry game against Newnan. He led East Coweta to a 10-6 record against Newnan, with all 10 wins coming from 1993-2002.

“It’s been a good, healthy, interest-provoking rivalry,” Cronic said. “It’s been good for the whole community. I’ll miss it.”

Cronic has not ruled out returning to coaching.

“I could go back into coaching,” Cronic said, “but if I don’t, that’s fine.”

Defensive coordinator Clint Wade will serve as East Coweta’s interim coach while the school conducts a search for its next head coach.

“I recommended Coach Wade,” Cronic said. “I think he would be the front-runner for the job.”

Cronic had a long, distinguished career at East Coweta, leading the Indians to a 148-60 (.712) overall record in 18 seasons as the school’s head football coach, easily earning the status as the winningest coach in school history.

When Cronic was hired in April 1990, East Coweta had won a paltry 67 games in the previous 23 years and made the playoffs only twice.

His impressive tenure at East Coweta included leading his teams to the playoffs in 16 of the 18 seasons, including the last 11 consecutive years; three undefeated regular seasons (1998, 2000, 2001); a 28-game regular-season winning streak from 1999-2001; a record of 78-20 (.796) at East Coweta’s home stadium, Garland Shoemake; and a trip to the semifinals in the Georgia Dome in 2002.

Perhaps most impressive is that Cronic never had a losing season at East Coweta.

Cronic finished this past season 10-2 — the 10 victories were the third-most for an Indians team in school history — and the season included a nine-game winning streak, the fourth longest in school history.

Cronic’s head coaching career started at a young age, 27 years old, at Cherokee High School in Canton in 1974. His coaching career included time at Middle Tennessee University (offensive backs coach), LaGrange High School (head coach), West Georgia (offensive coordinator) and Forsyth County (head coach).

He went 219-107-1 overall as a head coach. One of his teams, LaGrange in 1983, played for the state championship.

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