Former Gaston County assistant to take over as West Meck head football coach.

West Mecklenburg High School has hired Beady Waddell IV as its new head football coach, Hawks athletics director Jesse Wilkins told the Observer.

Waddell replaces Nick Mata, who left recently to become offensive coordinator at Indian Land High School. Mata coached one season at West Mecklenburg, going 6-5 in 2019.

West Mecklenburg has had four straight winning seasons, but has now hired its third coach in that span.

Waddell IV has spent the past four seasons at Gastonia’s Hunter Huss HIgh School, where he was strength coach, assistant defensive coordinator, special teams’ coordinator and linebacker coach.

Also the head wrestling coach at Huss, Waddell IV was part of a Huskies’ football staff that produced four straight winning seasons, including two with double-digits wins. Previously, Huss had six straight losing seasons.

Before Huss, Waddell coached at Fort Dorchester (S.C.) and was part of a 16-0 state champion in 2015. He and wife Topee have three kids: Beady V (13), Taylor (10) and Taryn (9).

▪ Waddell’s hiring leaves two Mecklenburg County schools with open football jobs. Garinger and North Mecklenburg still have openings. Mallard Creek (Kennedy Tinsley) and Providence Day (Chad Grier) have filled head coach positions.

AREA COACHING CHANGES