A former Okaw Valley Conference football coaching legend is taking over a new football program this fall.

Mark Ramsey was hired as the new head football coach at Pana High School on Monday.  

Ramsey began his coaching career at Moweaqua before consolidating with Assumption to become Central A&M.  Coach Ramsey went 239-93 in 30 years with Moweaqua/Central A&M leading them to 24 playoff appearances, five state championship games - including one victory in 1997.  

Its football field is named after him.

Coach Ramsey coached at Shelbyville from 2013-2015 going 17-12 in three seasons.  

He then coached at Decatur St. Teresa from 2016-2022 with a 76-8 record and made the quarterfinals each year playing in two state championships and winning the state championship in 2022. 

Ramsey is 5th in IHSA history with 332 career head coaching victories and comes to Pana to teach PE classes for part-time Pana High School.  

The Pana football team will open the 2025 fall season on August 22nd in a scrimmage with Central A&M.  Pana will play their first regular-season conference game on August 29th at Hillsboro.