The tragic death of Sparta teacher and head football coach Phil Watson rocked the Sparta school district and the community last week.
Watson had a record of 0-17 at Sparta, but that won’t be what he is remembered for at Sparta or at the other two schools where he was head coach—Wesclin and Centralia.
The 50-year-old, who was also a lead singer in a band, had  passion and enthusiasm for his players and his team.
He truly cared for them and did what he could to protect them and put them in positions where they could succeed.
At his wake last Thursday night, the Methodist church was filled to the brink with family, friends and former students and players.
It was a sight no one in attendance will soon forget. Stories of his life and how he inspired others were told.
Our reporters can remember the first interview they had with Watson shortly after he was hired at Sparta. While football season was many months away, the way he talked about the game and the pure excitement in his voice made it hard for us to wait for the season to start.
After each loss he suffered at Sparta, he was quick to point out the positives he saw in his team. He always said, “They tried hard, and we are getting better.” And he was always right. While being overmatched on most nights, his team always fought hard.
And it wasn’t just on the football field that Watson liked to inspire others. During home basketball games, he led the team onto the court while wearing an old basketball uniform and a wig. During the games, he led the student section with cheers and got everyone fired up.
There is no doubt that the death of coach Watson will sting many people for quite sometime, especially in regard to the circumstances of his death. His brother stated at the wake that Phil was battling deep depression, but didn’t like to take pills.
Mental illness is a sickness just like any other disease. Without proper medical attention, it can be deadly.
While coach Watson was an inspiring and enthusiastic figure to many, he was battling a constant war in his own head— a war fought without some kind of help or medication usually leads to more sorrow, as in this case.
While he obviously had problems, Watson can and should be remembered for the number of lives he touched.