Apalachee football coach Tony Lotti explains why he's leaving for another opportunity

Apalachee football coach Tony Lotti is stepping down as head coach to take the same position at Seckinger High School.

Lotti informed Apalachee players on Friday morning.

"What I've always been felt to do and what I believe in is my heart and I'm a relationship guy," Lotti told the Athens Banner-Herald. "When God calls me to do something else and moves me, and it's one of those things that makes it hard, but like I told them, I don't say goodbye. I don't believe in that. I'm still close to kids (at previous coaching stops) at West Hall and going as far back as 25 years ago at Union Grove."

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Lotti coached this past season with a hockey helmet after having a pair of brain tumors removed in May. His health checkups have been positive, he said, and he won't have to wear the helmet this coming season.

The Wildcats were winless in 10 games a year after reaching the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.

Seckinger finished 0-7 in its inaugural season and was outscored 280-12 while playing a non-region campaign. The Buford school opened its doors in August. Its coach, Aaron Hill, resigned after the season.

Lotti has a history of coaching newly formed programs. He was on the staff of Union Grove when it opened in 2000 and left for Woodland (Stockbridge) when it launched its program in 2007. He was head coach at West Hall from 2012 to 2017 before coming to Apalachee. He finishes 13-38 in five seasons with the Wildcats.

Lotti and Seckinger athletic director Kelli Poff go back to their time at Woodland. She reached out to Lotti, who lives about 5 miles from the school. He begins at Seckinger on Monday morning.

"It's one of those things where I love this community and the relationships I've had (at Apalachee)," Lotti said. "But I feel like God's calling me for something else, and I felt it coming. The same thing that brought me to Apalachee from West Hall, I wasn't looking to leave West Hall. I'm not one of those head coaches that bids and throws their names out there every time we get to this point in the year. I've been blessed that people have reached out to me, and I get a feeling. And here we are."

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Apalachee football coach Tony Lotti leaving Wildcats for Seckinger