Spoon Risper named head football coach, athletic director at Macon County
The longtime Westside coach is heading to Montezuma.
MONTEZUMA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Sheddrick “Spoon” Risper has been named the new head football coach and athletic director at Macon County High School.
The Macon County School System announced Thursday, in a release titled “Legendary Leadership,” that the Macon County Board of Education approved Risper’s appointment during its Tuesday meeting.
Risper, who spent the past 17 seasons as head coach at Westside High School, shared the news publicly in an emotional Facebook post, writing that the announcement came on what would have been his late son’s 22nd birthday and just days before his wedding anniversary.
“I have been named as the Macon County head football coach,” Risper wrote. “This makes for an awesome anniversary for us. Macon County, I love hard and I really love and care about the children.”
According to MCSS, Risper brings more than 28 years of high school coaching experience, including his time at Westside, where he became one of the longest-serving coaches in the state. During his tenure, his teams consistently reached the playoffs and helped place more than 100 student-athletes on college rosters.
District leaders cited Risper’s focus on discipline, accountability and faith-based leadership as key reasons for his selection.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Risper to the Macon County family,” the release said.
Risper announced last May that the 2025 season would be his final year leading Westside, but he made clear at the time that he was not retiring from coaching. He closes his Westside tenure with a career record of 119-72, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. The Seminoles went 3-8 in 2025.
Risper, who replaced longtime coach Robert Davis when he took over the Westside program in 2009, now becomes Macon County’s 12th head football coach in school history. He replaces Kurt Williams, who led the Bulldogs for the 2024 and 2025 seasons and finished 12-11.
At Westside, defensive coordinator James Harris has been named Risper’s successor. He’s the school’s third head football coach since it opened in 1997.