For Simcoe, the time has come

withdrawing his resignation and signing on for one more year, Paul Simcoe has made it official: he's retiring.

Simcoe had announced at the recent Football Boosters Banquet that he was reconsidering, but last week confirmed that he will step down after a long and successful career as Coudersport's varsity football head coach.

A graduate of Troy High School in Bradford County, he arrived in Coudersport in 1973 after a standout playing career at Lock Haven University. He served as an assistant football coach until taking over as head coach in 1979.

His career record was 204-78- 8, making him the winningest coach in PIAA District 9 history. Along the way, his teams won four PIAA District 9 titles and qualified for the state's Class A final four in 2005.

Simcoe was also a respected physical education teacher at Coudersport and, later in his career, he taught driver education. He is also retiring as a teacher. Simcoe said he intends to spend his time hunting, working on a log cabin he is building north of Coudersport, and "doing many of the things I've been putting off doing for a long, long time."

Simcoe and his wife, the former Pam Gooch, have three grown children. Their son, Ross, was a starting linebacker at Allegheny College.

Long-time assistant coaches Tom Russell and Dan Kightlinger Jr. may or may not be back next season. Other assistants, Trevor Saulter, Brenden Hathaway and Scott Robinson, are all expected to return.