In a major shakeup in the Smoky Mountain Conference, Robbinsville head football coach and athletic director Dee Walsh has announced his plan to retire on Jan. 21.

The news was first reported by Kevin Hensley of The Graham Star.

Walsh’s departure leaves a big hole at Robbinsville. Someone who doubles as a head football coach and athletic director at a smaller school has a lot of power.

The coach is a Robbinsville native. He won the 1973 and 1974 1A state championships as a player for the Black Knights. He played quarterback, running back, and wide receiver.

He became the head coach of the program for the first time in 1986 and stayed in that role through 1989. In 1992, Cherokee hired Walsh as its head coach and he stayed there until 1994.

Walsh was hired as the head coach at Robbinsville again in 2008 and he had been in the position through the 2024 season. As a head coach, he led the Black Knights to N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A championsips in 2014 and 2019, as well as a 1A West regional championship in 2015. His championship in 2014 broke a 22-year drought for the school, which was the longest ever for the 15-time state champions.

Robbinsville also finished as the 1A West runner-up in 2009, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2023 while Walsh led the program.

His overall win-loss record as a head coach finished at 209-89.

In 2024, the Black Knights produced a 7-7 overall finish and a 4-1 finish in the SMC. The Black Knights advanced to the fourth round of the 1A West playoffs.

With an average daily membership of 334 students, Robbinsville will remain a 1A program after the NCHSAA realigns into eight classifications later this year. In the second draft of proposed conferences released by the NCHSAA, Robbinsville was placed in a 13-team 1A/2A split conference. These conferences are subject to change following more appeals.