Josh Gandy has resigned as a teacher and baseball coach at Sale Creek and transferred to Signal Mountain.

"Josh is a wonderful teacher who has a knack of challenging and supporting students both in the classroom and on the athlete field," said Signal principal Robin Copp, who hired Gandy while she was the principal at Sale Creek.

"I loved Sale Creek -- the community and the kids," Gandy said. "The kids are very hard-working and the athletic program there is headed in the right direction. They're winning some games in all sports, and they're starting football."

He will be working in the Inclusion portion of Signal's exceptional education program, "and I love being in the classroom as much as being on the field," he said.

His primary athletic duty will be as an assistant to Signal baseball coach Bumper Reese.

"More than likely he'll be in charge of our pitching staff and Bobby Rogers will work with the middle infielders and all hitters," Reese said. "I coached Josh when he was in high school on a summer-league team (Chattanooga Appalachians), and he was amazing then because of his talent but more so because he was so level-headed. He has kept that same mentality as a coach."

Gandy, who played high school ball at Ringgold, went on to an outstanding pitching career for the University of Georgia.

"He and I have a pretty good relationship, and I know he had a great relationship with Robin at Sale Creek," Reese said. "Signal is a little closer to home for him, and he's going to be with a principal who's very familiar with him, and he's familiar with me.

"I've watched him play and grow up since that first year I coached him. I felt even back then that he was going to be something special and that he would make a great teacher and coach."

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765.