Former Dowagiac football coach and Cassopolis standout Bernard Thomas is stepping down after two seasons at the helm of the Rangers’ program.

Thomas spent 17 seasons at Dowagiac, compiling a school record 109 victories against just 39 losses. Eight times the Chieftains qualified for the post season and 14 of those teams won at least six games.

The Chieftains were the Class BB 1990 state champions.

At Cassopolis he was also successful, going 14-7 with two trips to the state playoffs.

“I sat down at the end of the season and thought 30 years is enough time to do anything,” Thomas said. “So I made the decision that I was going to step aside and let someone else take over. I realized that I just wanted to do the things I wanted to do when I wanted to do them.”

Thomas, who turned 61 Sunday, retired from teaching at Dowagiac two years ago.

“I am now officially retired,” he said. “It’s time for me to step back and be a spectator.”

Thomas said he has no regrets about his decision to step down.

“I look back at my career and I was very fortunate and very blessed to have great kids, great coaches and a great support staff at Dowagiac. I was able to accomplish everything I wanted to accomplish. As a coach, you want to win championships and have undefeated seasons and I was able to do both at Dowagiac.

“Then came the opportunity to coach at Cassopolis. The attraction of coaching my hometown team, a team I identified myself with for so much of my life was too good to pass up. I feel like my career has come full circle. I began my career at Cassopolis and I am ending my career there.”