Coach Steven Whatley is a product of McDuffie County Schools and a proud 1989 graduate of Thomson High School where he played football and baseball.  He teaches construction in the CTAE Department, which is an award winning program with students placing in competitions including masonry, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical wiring. Prior to teaching, he was a general contractor and owner/operator of Whatley Fencing and Construction. He received a B.B.A. in Finance from Augusta College in 1994 and a M.Ed. and Ed.S. in workforce education from University of Georgia. Past coaching experience includes assistant track coach in field events for Thomson-McDuffie Middle School, throwers coach for Thomson High School's track and field team, and offensive line/defensive line coach. Currently, he is an offensive line coach for TMMS, assists with coaching on Friday nights for the Varsity Bulldogs, and is head track and field coach. He is also a co-advisor for SkillsUSA.

Coach Whatley and his wife, Lori, also a teacher at Thomson High School, have been married for 24  years and have two sons. Ford, 25, teaches in Florida. Sawyer, 20, attends Augusta University and runs 400m hurdles on the track team. Ford and Sawyer are graduates of THS. The Whatleys are members at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Coach Whatley is proud that three generations of his family are THS alumni and continue to be active in many areas of academics and athletics.