Following Monday’s Demopolis City Schools Board of Education vote, James Moody will officially be returning to DHS.

“It’s an honor to be able to come back, that (Demopolis High athletic director) Coach (Tom) Causey and (DCS superintendent) Dr. (L. Wayne) Vickers saw fit to give me the opportunity to come back,” Moody said of his return to the school where he coached for 13 years. “This is where I consider home.”

Moody served as the head coach of the Demopolis High baseball team, earning a state championship with the team in 2005. His tenure in Demopolis also saw him serve as an assistant football coach. In that capacity, he helped the Tigers capture a state football title in 2004.

“I was looking for a proven winner that could come in and help us get past where we’re at,” Causey said of his quest to fill the coaching vacancies on the football and baseball staffs. “I think it is going to be good on both sides.”

Moody, who spent the past two years as the head baseball coach and wide receivers coach at Trinity Presbyterian, informed his players of the decision Tuesday.

“That’s always the hardest part of coaching,” Moody said of the task. “I absolutely had two great years at Trinity and worked for fine people there. It was a very, very tough decision. It was not a decision that was made without some thought.”

During his second go-round with Demopolis, Moody will assume the responsibility of coaching wide receivers while also serving as an assistant baseball coach.

“We are extremely excited about Coach Moody coming back to Demopolis,” DHS head baseball coach Ben Ramer said. “Just the knowledge and experience and leadership, all the things he’ll bring.”

The decisions gives Ramer an experienced baseball mind who took Trinity to the state title round in 2009.

“I think it’s just going to give us a different perspective,” Ramer said. “There’s not going to be any type of learning curve. He’s coming back home. He’s ready to come in here and coach ball and I think he’s the perfect fit.”

While Moody will be assuming the role as an assistant in the program where he once worked as the head coach, those familiar with him see no danger of potential conflict.

“I think (Ramer and Moody) are going to really work well together,” DHS baseball assistant Mike Randall said. “Ben is not one of these guys who says ‘By God, I’m the head coach and we’re going to do it my way.’”

Likewise, Moody expressed his eagerness to work as a part of Ramer’s staff.

“My No. 1 job is that I”m here to serve (Ramer) and do what he wants me to do and do what Tom wants me to do,” Moody said.

While he is excited about returning to the place he considers home, Moody also expressed his desire to be a part of Causey’s staff.

“I’m impressed with what Coach Causey and his staff are doing here and I’m glad to be a part of it,” Moody said. “We want to win and we want to compete, but I want to see those kids come back and be good husbands and be good employees. And that’s what matters in the end.”