Texas bound
- Updated: February 11, 2025
Findley, Ohatchee’s head football and wrestling coach, following wife’s career move to Texas.
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
OHATCHEE — Chris Findley knows something about sudden transitions, and his most recent sudden transition will take him away from Ohatchee.
The Indians’ head football and wrestling coach will follow wife Lauren’s career move to Texas after the current school year.
Lauren Findley recently resigned from her job in Jacksonville State University’s admissions department to become a vice president at Texas Wesleyan University, in Fort Worth. She’ll also pursue her doctorate there.
Chris Findley He informed his Ohatchee players about his pending move in mid-January.
He expects to find a teaching and assistant coaching job in the Fort Worth area.
“I’ve talked to a few coaches (in Texas), and there are going to be some opportunities,” Chris Findley said. “I’m going to take my time to find what I think is the best opportunity and what’s the best fit for us.”
Chris Findley joined Ohatchee’s staff as a strength coach and assistant football coach in 2013. He also coached junior high basketball.
He’s finishing his seventh season as head wrestling coach, including the Indians’ run to a Class 1A-4A state runner-up finish in 2022.
He’s served as head football coach since the fifth game of the 2021 season, a victory over Saks, After an open date, Ohatchee won at Piedmont.
He’s 14-18 as a head coach, which includes an 0-7 start in 2022. The Indians suffered several preseason and early-season injuries but got those players back in time to win their final three regular-season games and make the playoffs.
Ohatchee went 5-5 in 2023 and 6-5 in 2024, with a team that scored 472 points. That included a 76-71 victory over New Hope, which was the AHSAA’s high-scoring regulation game on record.
The game ended with Brayden Collins catching Jake Roberson’s “Hail Mary” pass, after a Colby Hester tip.
As an assistant, Findley was part of Ohatchee football’s revival. The Indians won at least eight games each season from 2016-2021. They posted double-digit wins four times, including a 12-2 finish and run to the Class 3A semifinals in 2016,
Findley, an Alexandria grad, has worked his entire coaching career at Ohatchee. He calls his time at Ohatchee “incredible.”
“That’s been the toughest part of this, is leaving there,” he said. “I grew up there in a way. I got there when I was 23 years old, and it’s a special place. We’re both going to miss it.
“That’s, by far, been the toughest part.”
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