Jordan Barela/Times-Enterprise Todd Mobley, principal of Thomasville High School, stis in his office, adorned with his coaching accomplishments from his tenure with the city school system. Mobley is set to retireMay 31. 

THOMASVILLE — The role of a coach and a principal is one and the same for Todd Mobley. 

Mobley will retire as the principal of Thomasville High School on May 31, bringing to a close 29 years on the field — both in athletics and academics. 

“I’ve taken Thomasville High School as far as I can take it,” Mobley said. “It’s time for someone to take it further.” 

During his tenure as the top Bulldog, Mobley has watched close to 1,400 students graduate since becoming principal in 2006. 

Mobley’s track in education and as a coach with the city schools began in 1988. 

“I wanted to be a coach,” Mobley, a Thomasville native and THS graduate, said. 

Mobley’s first inning in education began as the physical education and health teacher at Douglass Middle School. While there, he scored the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year. 

For three years, Mobley helped coach varsity wrestling and football, serving as the varsity offensive line coach and head middle school wrestling coach at Ben Hill County Schools, before coming back to Thomasville in 1994. 

Once back with Thomasville City Schools, Mobley coached golf, football and garnered more accolades such as Region Golf Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2000 and Thomasville Times-Enterprise’s 2001 Coach of the Year. 

For 10 years — the length of Mobley’s tenure as THS principal — the Thomasville City Schools has held the title of Region 1-AA All Sports Champions. 

“I coached everything from wrestling to football,” he said of his coaching career. 

No stranger to achievement, Mobley’s track record in the administrative role, which also included being assistant principal at MacIntyre Park Middle School, netted over 150 Advanced Placement scholars in the last three years, and a finalist for Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals’ 2013 Principal of the Year. 

“That’s what we teach, to be winners in academics and athletics,” Mobley said. 

Teaching not only how to win both on the field and in the classroom, Mobley said as a principal, he instills in students decisions made while in school could affect them later on in life. 

“That’s what I preach to them every day,” he said. 

Post-retirement, Mobley said he does not have concrete plans but has a lot of options. He does plan to remain active in both his coaching and administrative roles for his children — his son, a junior basketball player, and his daughter, who is currently in college. 

He also plans to attend every city school sporting event, much like his parents. 

“My dad has probably missed less than 10 games in 50 years,” he said. 

Closing out close to 30 years, Mobley said the biggest joy is seeing how successful students become — an aspect he has seen both in the classroom and on the field. 

Reporter Jordan Barela can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1826.