Weaver, AL – Bearcats are turning towards Cofer, Jax State graduate and a long-time coach in Georgia for football. Fulmer promoted to head the softball team
By Joe Medley
Weaver has a seasoned head coach who has many years of experience in playoffs, and a well-known face is set to take over the softball team.
The Calhoun County Board of Education on Tuesday, voted to approve the appointment of Kenneth Cofer as Weaver’s next head football coach, and to promote head coach for softball/football, and head wrestling coach associate coach Andy Fulmer to head softball coach.
Both men will succeed Gary Atchley, recently hired at Jacksonville to be the head softball coach as well as an assistant football coach.
Cofer was among 28 applicants and six finalist The new Weaver director Tracy Brazier said. Brazier spoke with two assistants currently employed, Fulmer and Jeremy Harper.
“I had a conversation with them about what they wanted as well as what they wanted as a head coach and the things we need in Weaver,” Brazier said. “They provided me with an inventory of what to look out for and also Mr. Cofer was able to mark everything off that list for both of us.”
Cofer was the offensive coordinator for Cleburne County over the past two seasons, following five coaching stints as head coach throughout Georgia: Cook High School (2010-14), Bacon County High School (2014-16), Dodge County High School (2016-18 and 2019-21) and Wilcox County High School (2018-19).
Cook was also Cook’s offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2009.
He was a part of playoff squads that included 10 players and was the offensive coordinator for Cook in both 2005 and 2009, as well as Cook’s head coach in 2010.
His Cook team defeated Rush Propst’s initial Colquitt County squad in the opening round in 2019.
His teams were in the top 10 in Georgia with AA scoring in 2012 and 2015. Both the 2014 and 2015 Bacon County teams broke the school record for scoring during the season.
Cofer claimed he was in a two-back wing-T offensive, but then switched to a more Tennessee style “air raid” type of attack. What will he do at Weaver is contingent on the potential talent the team inherits.
The possibility of a June start for his new team may impact the way he plays in the first season.
In the larger picture, Weaver wants to get back to winning methods. After reaching in the postseason eight times over nine seasons under Daryl Hamby, the Bearcats have won just three games over four seasons under two head coaches.
Cofer had inherited the same situation in Wilcox County. The team won the state championship under the former Auburn player Nick Marshall but had not been in the playoffs for six years before Cofer arrived. Cofer led the team to the playoffs his debut season.
In a statement, he said”I’m “kind of regrets that” and he returned home to Dodge County.
“I probably should’ve stayed in Wilcox County,” he stated. “I felt at home. I’m just attracted by those smaller jobs in schools however, I sort of got caught up in the money thing and to be truthful.”
Daughter Kayly graduated as did her father. Cofer was fired from Georgia after 25 years as head coach and assistant coach. In 1994, the Jacksonville State University graduate followed an example into Cleburne County. His wife Stacy comes from Heflin and is the teacher of the seventh grade of social studies in Cleburne County Middle School.
He was re-appointed as a coach for the position, but was promoted to the position of offensive coordinator. After two years, he admitted, “the leadership bug kind of stung me a bit.”
“I wanted to become the head coach once again and run my own team,” he said. “That’s the thing it all came up to.”
For Fulmer, Brazier called the coaching promotion of a veteran softball coach was a “no-brainer.”
“Hands down”, it was actually not even a matter of debate to me.” Brazier said.
Fulmer has been a state champion for consecutive wrestling championships at Weaver in each of the two seasons prior to that. Fulmer also founded the school’s girls’ team.
He has been an assistant softball player for five years, spanning the time daughter and sophomore pitcher Kynlee Fulmer was a part of the program.
Andy Fulmer got involved in coaching softball after his daughter was playing 10-under ball. She was hit by a line-drive off her shoulder and mask and had to pop her jaw dislocated back into the correct position.
“My spouse and me have always have said that we’ll both be on hand just in case,” Andy Fulmer said. “We do not want her to be on her own evidently.
“When she was trying out and was selected for the team at high school, Gary asked me to join in.”
Fulmer is expected to inherit a team that includes six juniors who have helped Weaver reach regional play again in the past season.
“It’s different from wrestling at the time I became the wrestler,” he said. “That was sort of an overhaul. Trainer (Gene) Taylor had a group of seniors. I’m not rebuilding in softball. Gary did a great job keeping the girls focused and working them hard during the summer time. …
“We can reload, focus and then go at it.”
