Last season in classroom for Dub Smith

Former Rattler footfall coach Dub Smith resigned Monday from his teaching duties at Tucumcari Middle School.

“I have taught for 42 years and now I’m going to start a new career,” said Smith on Tuesday.

Smith’s contract to be head football coach for the Rattlers was not renewed at the end of the school year. He had coached the Rattlers for 10  years and taught physical education at the middle school.

There are good group of athletes who will be coming on the Rattlers football, Smith said, adding tha the program is in good shape.

At the Tucumcari Public Schools' last board meeting in late June, school superintendent Aaron McKinney said there a new coach had not been selected.

Later this month, Smith said he planned to join a training class for  field representatives for a company that contracts out, in times of emergency,  to FEMA.

Smith also said he planned to spend his time between his Las Vegas, N.M., home and  his home in  Tucumcari, where his wife is a special education teacher. “She has 4 1/2 years to go before she retires,” Smith said.