Longtime Head Football Coach Bobby Johns Retiring from Wewahitchka

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Longtime head coach Bobby Johns, who’s been a head coach all across this region, the last seven years at Wewahitchka, is retiring from football coaching.

The coach informed his players of that decision this morning. Johns has spent the last 31 years coaching football, with 25 of those years as a head coach. Those head coaching stops at Countryside in Clearwater, Lake Region in Winter Haven, at Blountstown, Milton, Bacon County in Georgia, Baker County near Jacksonville, Vernon and again, the last 7 years at Wewahitchka. His team this season 5-6 after a first round playoff loss. Johns’ overall record as a head coach 172-98. Back in 2004 he led Blountstown to the 1A state championship game.

Coach Johns telling me today quote “It’s the right time! We’ve given all we’ve got to the program and the kids for these 7 years. There is a good group of players coming back, so the new coach will have chance to start off well.” Johns went on to say of Gulf County Superintendent quote “Mr. Norton, has been really good to me and is going to allow me to stay on in some capacity.” unquote. That new role still to be determined. The coach says he’ll coach the Wewa girls and boys weightlifting teams this year, but beyond that isn’t certain.

One more note worth mentioning here, while a part of the FHSAA Board of Directors back in the summer of 2020, coach Johns nearly single-handledly saved the 2020 fall sports seasons, including football and volleyball. So many administrators across the state were gripped by COVID fears and were trying to cancel those sports. Those fears turned out to be unfounded, and coach Johns helped pave the way for thousands to compete that fall!

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