Longtime Board of Control president retires

Mike Reed retired as principal of Morristown West High School more than two decades ago, but he soon realized that even after a lifetime of service to public education, he still had more to give.

The succeeding leadership of Morristown West continued to call on Reed as the school’s athletic director for the next 21 years.

And in the process, Reed – a South Fulton, Tennessee native and University of Tennessee graduate – remained District 1’s choice for representation on the TSSAA Board of Control and continued to serve in the role of board president until 2025.

Reed’s service, crowding four decades, is coming to its close with his decision to retire. His four decades working in a crucial legislative area for the TSSAA abuts almost six decades – 59.5 years – of public education service.

Former longtime TSSAA Executive Director Ronnie Carter, like Reed, a Hall of Fame electee, remembers Reed’s first appointment to the Board of Control as a stunning upset-victory in the election.

“It is a great story, because Upper East Tennessee had always been about the Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol area in terms of schools and teams,” Carter said. “The Greeneville, Morristown, Newport area was seen like the red-headed step-children and that position on the Board was historically always from the Kingsport area.

“Mike, at that time, was just getting started and had been a basketball coach at Bulls Gap High School, before it was merged with Cherokee High School. It was a small school but he had been successful and was highly respected. His principal, Karl Starnes, represented the upper east area on the Legislative Council. Schools knew in 1986 that Carl Matherly at Sullivan South (Board of Control representative and Chair of Board) was nearing retirement. Schools in the Greeneville, Morristown, Newport area,” Carter recalled, “got together to run Mike for the Board position before Mr. Matherly retired to get his name out there and improve their chances for getting a position later on the Board.

“Lo and behold, Gene Beck walks up to me after getting the vote count and says that Mike Reed had just defeated Carl Matherly. It was a major upset that Mike won that election.”

In typical sports fashion, Reed’s Cinderella story has turned legend, leading to a long tenure of building relationships around the support of high school athletics.

“The first thing when you mention the TSSAA that stands out to me, is that you rub shoulders with good people,” said Reed, widowed from his wife, Sharon, also a public educator, after almost exactly 47 years of marriage. “I have made friends throughout the state and friends with really super people, just very impressive people. I’ve always enjoyed the camaraderie, talking with Middle, East and West Tennessee leaders and also being able to learn from them.”

“I don't think the association will ever see another comparable timeline of service,” stated Mark Reeves, TSSAA’s current Executive Director. “Mike has dedicated a significant part of his professional life to serving his constituency in Athletic District 1 and the organization as a whole. He truly loves education-based athletics and has helped lead the organization through some of its most challenging times, always keeping the student first in his decision-making.”

Reed’s roots in public education trace to Hawkins County, specifically his time at Bulls Gap, and include patrolling sidelines as a basketball coach – girls and boys – as well as classroom before an extended career in administrative roles.

He’s been a biology teacher, gym teacher, athletics director, assistant principal and long-running principal at Morristown West.

“Every move that I made was really good because I worked at three different schools and always was fortunate to work with outstanding people,” said Reed, who also held an administrative role at Lincoln Heights Middle School in Morristown. “I’ve been to about three different schools and they’ve all been good. The principals I worked with were outstanding and each one had their strengths. Mr. (Jack) Pemberton (at Morristown West) was a really good curriculum person. When I took over as principal, I just wanted to hang onto what Mr. Pemberton had developed and tried to improve our coaching staff some.”

Reed believed strongly in a model that recognized athletics as the front porch of a school and curriculum as its vital central nervous system.

“I think your high school athletics, it’s a part of your school that’s very important,” said Reed, father of two daughters now relishing his time with four grandchildren. “Like buying a house, the first thing you look at buying a house is the outside, the athletics of a high school. Then the nitty gritty that’s really important is the inside of your house, the curriculum. I think when school starts, if you’re doing well in football, students get attached to supporting you and school runs smoother. If you’re not doing well, having a rough season, a lot of times I think you have more problems with the school.

“The main thing is curriculum and what you do and what happens in the classroom, always will be. But those extracurricular activities, be it sports or clubs, they’re important as well because they help grow the students.”

It’s those students Reed remembers and already misses.

“I loved being around the kids,” he said. “I’ll tell you, I think kids keep you young.”

TSSAA proudly salutes Mike Reed for his decades of service as a member of the Board of Control, Board of Control President, and an educator who truly made an impact on student-athletes in Tennessee.