Mississippi Coach - Fall 2015

Fall 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 2

The Official Publication of the Mississippi Association of Coaches

Bravo to MAC’s

Coaches

of the year!

----------------------------------------------------A Hearty Hurray for Our 2014–2015 State Championship Coaches

The Official Publication of the Mississippi Association of Coaches

features

8 15

Cover Story

Bravo to MAC’s Coaches of the Year!

Feature Story

A Hearty Hurray for Our 2014–2015 State Championship Coaches

Fall 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 2

departments 5

2015–2016 MAC Officers Announced

6

President’s Message (Andy Richey)

6

Executive Director’s Message (Johnny Mims)

16

News from MAC 2015 Hall of Fame Inductees Outstanding Coach Award 2014–2015 Service Awards Upcoming Events Notes from the MAC Staff and lots more!

18

Index of Advertisers

The Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Mississippi Coach, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or MAC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bi-annual publication. Copyright ©2015 by The Mississippi Association of Coaches. Mississippi Coach is published bi-annually. Subscriptions are complimentary to MAC members. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Mississippi Coach allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to MAC. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs.

Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

4 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

MAC Officers //

Mississippi Coach is the official publication of: The Mississippi Association of Coaches Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1194 Clinton, Mississippi 39060-1194 Street Address: 600 East Northside Drive Clinton, Mississippi 39056-3437 Tel: (601) 924-3020 Fax: (601) 924-3050 www.mscoaches.com Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 Tel: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com MAC Staff: Executive Director Johnny Mims jmims@mscoaches.com Office Manager Sara Angelo sangelo@mscoaches.com Creative Designer/ Web Master Lindsey Koestler lgay@mscoaches.com MAC Officers: President Andy Richey Vice President Gina Skelton Immediate Past President Bill Ward Executive Committee Jonny Bolen Brad Breland Karen Green Shane Sanderson Randy West Tony Woody

2015–2016 MAC Officers President – Andy Richey, Wheeler Vice-President – Gina Skelton, Quitman Immediate Past President – Bill Ward, Pelahatchie Executive Director – Johnny Mims Office Manager – Sara Angelo Creative Designer/Web Master – Lindsey Koestler

Class 1A/2A District

Coach

School

Term

1 2

Larry Gann Karen Green

2017 2016

3 4 5 6 7 8

Derrick Hooker Brad Gray Brad Breland Chris Courtney Brian Smith Mike Meyers

Vardaman Marshall Co. School District South Delta Winona Union Pelahatchie Salem OLA

Coach

School

Term

Shane Sanderson Richard Russo Richard Horton Kevin Pullen Danielle Haney Burrell Leach Rickey O’Quinn Tony Woody

New Albany Independence Humphreys County Kosciusko Quitman McLaurin Franklin County Moss Point

2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017

Coach

School

Term

Johnny Bolen Paul Hayden Kenneth Kable Randall Montgomery Todd Breland Randy West Tommy Clopton Bryan Caldwell

Saltillo DeSoto Central Greenville Columbus Laurel Brandon Brookhaven Gulfport

2016 2017 2017 2016 2016 2017 2017 2016

2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2017

Class 3A/4A District

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Class 5A/6A District

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

* Bold Italics indicates Executive Committee

Honorary Board Members

Herman Sanders, Wingfield Scott Huskey, Brandon High School Allen Lunceford, Clinton High School www.mscoaches.com – fall 2015 – M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h 5

// President’s

Message

// Executive

Director’s Message

Molding Players into a Team

Developing Integrity and Character

E

ach year as a new season begins, new players join our program. A mark of a dedicated coach is to instill in each player his or her capabilities and strengths and the need to be a team player. When that happens and all players become a team, as coaches, we know we’ve done our job!

It is a great honor to have been chosen as your president of the MAC. To receive such an acclamation of faith from my peers is truly a challenge for me to do my best in the job that you’ve entrusted to me.

My thanks and appreciation to all of you, and I hope our work together will result in a very productive and successful year. Good luck to all of you and your teams!

P

lease know that I have a great appreciation and respect for the members of the Mississippi Association of Coaches and the role our coaches play in the lives of young people. The strength of our organization is evident by its growing membership. I encourage each member to review the MAC Code of Ethics and reflect on its principles. Wins and losses are important; however, at the end of the day, the opportunity coaches have to develop integrity and character is more important.

The MAC is only as strong as its membership. I challenge each member to strive to make our association stronger by getting involved. Finally, I would like to thank each of you for your membership, continued support of the MAC and, most importantly, what you do for the student athletes of Mississippi.

Have a great year!

Andy Richey

2015–2016 MAC President

Johnny Mims

MAC Executive Director

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Air National Guard BankPlus

Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau Max Preps

Baptist Health Systems 5 Star Sports FCA Jackson Coca-Cola Bottling

Miller Net Mississippi Power Mississippi Sports Medicine MS State Dept. of Health – Office of Tobacco Control

6 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

Rex Team Sports Russell Athletic Wilson World Class Athletic Surfaces

Blogs

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// MAC

Hall of Fame

Bravo to Mac’s Coaches of the Year!

Athletic Director

Richard Smithhart

Richard Smithhart (Pearl Public School District)

A native of Vicksburg and a graduate of Porters Chapel, Southern Miss and Mississippi College, Coach Richard Smithhart began his coaching career in 1984, serving as a football, basketball, baseball and track coach with stops at Adams County Christian and Warren Central. He served as assistant principal at Pearl High from 2001 to 2013 and has been the athletic director for the Pearl Public School District since 2013. During the 2014–15 school year, Pearl athletics won 4 state championships, had 2 state runner-up finishes, reached the Final Four in the girls’ state hoops tournament, won 2 North State and 2 South State titles, captured 6 region championships and 11 district crowns and had 17 scholar athletic teams. Under his watch, his teams claimed state championships in girls’ cross country, cheerleading, soccer and track.

Baseball

Trave Hopkins

Trave Hopkins (Kossuth High School)

Coach Trave Hopkins of Kossuth High led the Kossuth Aggies to the 2014 Class 3A State Championship and a playoff appearance in 2015. Coach Hopkins hails from Memphis and graduated from Ripley High, Meridian Community College and Kaplan University.

He played four years in pro baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals, with stops in the Central and Frontier Leagues. He began his coaching career in 2012, with stops at Northeast C.C. and Hickory Flat before arriving at Kossuth in 2013. The former All-State and All-Star was also named the 3A Coach of the Year by the MHSAA in 2014.

Janna Thompson

Alphaka Moore

Girls’ Basketball

Alphaka Moore (Natchez High School) Janna Thompson (Horn Lake High School)

The MAC has named Alphaka Moore of Natchez High and Janna Thompson of Horn Lake High as Co-Coaches of the Year for Girls Basketball in 2015. This year’s shared MAC honor is the first-ever MAC Coach of the Year award for both coaches.

Coach Alphaka Moore hails from Laurel and graduated from Laurel High, Mississippi State and Southern Miss. The five-year coaching veteran previously coached at West Point and Union before arriving at Natchez High in 2012. Coach Moore has guided the Natchez Lady Bulldogs basketball squad to back-to-back Class 5A state championships in 2014 and 2015. Her hoops teams have compiled a 114–31 record, earning her additional Coach of the Year honors from Miss-Lou Metro Media.

A native of Liberty, Coach Janna Thompson graduated from Amite County High, Delta State and Ole Miss. Janna has spent her entire 11-year coaching career at Horn Lake High, where her Lady Eagles have a 225–49 record. In 2015, she led Horn Lake to its second consecutive Class 6A girls’ basketball state championship, its third state crown in six seasons. Coach Thompson is a former All-Star prep player who also starred at Delta State and paced the Lady Statesmen to two NCAA Division 2 Elite Eight appearances.

She was named the Commercial Appeal Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year in 2010 and was inducted into the Horn Lake High Hall of Fame in 2014.

8 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

Anthony Carlyle David Sanders

Boys’ Basketball

Anthony Carlyle (Velma Jackson H.S.) David Sanders (Callaway High School)

Coach Anthony Carlyle hails from Jackson and graduated from Yazoo County High, Belhaven and Southern Miss. He has been in the coaching profession for seven years, with stops at Yazoo City and his present coaching position at Velma Jackson, where he has spent the past four years as the Falcons’ head basketball coach. In 2015, Coach Carlyle paced the Falcons boys’ hoops team to its third consecutive Class 3A state championship.

His boys’ teams have a remarkable 107–31 record, and he also guided the Yazoo City girls to the 2009 Class 4A state title. Along with the MAC recognition, Coach Carlyle has been named Coach of the Year by the Clarion Ledger, District 6, and the MS Hoops Report.

Jackson native Coach David Sanders was a former All-State, Gatorade and Clarion Ledger Player of the Year at Provine High. He is a graduate of Northwest C.C. and lettered in basketball at Ole Miss where he was part of the best Rebel men’s basketball team in school history with a 2001 Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA tournament. Coach Sanders started his coaching career in 2010 as head coach at Northwest Rankin, and he arrived as the Callaway head mentor in 2013. Under his guidance, the 2015 Chargers basketball team captured its second straight Class 5A state championship, the school’s fourth goldball trophy in a row. Overall, his boys’ basketball squads have won 87 games with 62 losses.

Girls’ Bowling

Joey Blount

Coach Joey Blount hails from Philadelphia and is a graduate of Neshoba Central and Mississippi State. His 13-year coaching career includes serving as an assistant and head coach at Hamilton, Morton and Newton County High. He has served as bowling head coach for the Rockets since 2013. In 2015, he led the Lady Rocket bowlers to the Class II state championship. He previously led both Rocket bowling teams to state runner-up finishes in 2014. In addition to the MAC honors, Coach Blount was also named Girls’ Bowling Coach of the Year by the Clarion Ledger. Off the alleyways, he serves on the MHSAA Legislative Council and has been a committee member, secretary and past president of District IV.

Wayne Dye

Joey Blount (Neshoba Central High School)

Wayne Dye (New Albany High School)

Boys’ Bowling

New Albany native Coach Wayne Dye has been selected as the MAC Boys Bowling Coach of the Year. A graduate of W. P. Daniel in New Albany, Coach Dye has been in the high school ranks for only three years, since 2012. His bowling squads have compiled a mark of 67 wins and 23 losses out of 90 matches. In addition to his duties at New Albany, he has served as a USBC Youth Coach since 1999.

Girls’ Cross Country

George Kersh

George Kersh (Pearl High School)

A Jackson native and graduate of Pearl and Ole Miss, veteran championship coach George Kersh of Pearl has coached track at Pearl for 18 years. His Pearl Pirates cross country squad claimed the 2014 state championship. Under his leadership as head coach the past two years, his boys’ cross country team has earned a 127–18 record. As an assistant coach, George was part of 13 boys’ and girls’ cross country state championship teams. Coach Kersh, a former 1990 Goodwill Games gold medalist and 1991 NCAA indoor and outdoor 800-meter champion, was inducted into the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.

Boys’ Cross Country

D. P. Daigle

D. P. Daigle (St. Stanislaus)

Coach D.P. Daigle was born in Metairie, Louisiana, and is a graduate of Pope John Paul High in Slidell, Louisiana, and the University of New Orleans. He started his coaching career at St. Stanislaus in 2011 as an assistant coach for track and football and took over as head coach for cross country and track in 2013. Coach Daigle’s 2014 Rock-a-Chaws cross country team won its second straight division crown and then won the Class 4A state championship. His St. Stanislaus boys’ track squad also won two consecutive division titles and had region and South State runner-up finishes in 2015. www.mscoaches.com – fall 2015 – M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h 9

cover story/continued

Football

Todd Breland

Todd Breland (Laurel High School)

Coach Todd Breland of Laurel led the Laurel Golden Tornados to the 2014 Class 5A state football championship. A 19-year coaching veteran, he was born in Picayune and graduated from West Jones and Southern Miss. He served as an assistant coach at Laurel, Wayne County and Northeast Jones before being named head football coach at Laurel in 2012. Overall, his gridiron teams have compiled a 32–9 record. In addition to this year’s MAC award, Todd was recognized as Coach of the Year by the Laurel Leader Call, SES magazine and Region 3-5A. His prior accolades include being a 2003 MAC Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2013 Coach of the Year by the Chronicle and Leader Call.

Girls’ Golf

Matt Williams

Matt Williams (Warren Central High School)

Born in Hattiesburg, Coach Matt Williams is a graduate of Forrest County AHS in Brooklyn, where he was a member of the baseball team that won the 1996 Class 3A state championship.

After receiving his college degrees at Mississippi College and Southern Miss, Coach Williams began his 13-year coaching career at Perry Central where he coached football and golf. He performed the same coaching duties at Yazoo County before arriving at Warren Central in 2011, where he is an assistant football coach and head golf coach. His Warren Central Lady Vikings linksters won their third consecutive Class III Region 3 title in 2015, following their state title in 2014 and runner-up finish in 2013. Besides the MAC award, Coach Williams was also named the 2014–15 MHSAA/NFHS State Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year.

Boys’ Golf

Gregg Perry

Gregg Perry (Germantown High School)

Coach Gregg Perry of Germantown guided the Mavericks’ boys’ golf team to the 2014 Class 5A state championship. Coach Perry, who hails from Jackson and graduated from Madison Ridgeland High, East Central C.C. and Belhaven, began his 19-year career at Madison Central. After a two-year stint at Winona, Gregg returned to Madison Central for 10 years before moving to Germantown in 2012. Since his arrival, the Mavericks have won three straight boys’ district golf titles and one girls’ golf district crown. His golf squads have a record of 30–14, while his baseball teams at Madison Central through the years racked up an impressive 322–81 with 2 district titles, 5 North State crowns and Class 5A state championships in 2002 and 2009.

Girls’ Powerlifting

Angie Owem

Angie Owen (Bruce High School)

Receiving her first-ever MAC Coach of the Year Award is Coach Angie Owen of Bruce. Born in Oxford, Coach Owen is a graduate of Bruce High and Blue Mountain College. She entered the coaching ranks in 1999 at Coffeeville before going to Bruce, Charleston, Calhoun City and back to Bruce in 2012. Angie has coached softball, basketball and powerlifting and completed her third year as the Lady Trojans’ powerlifting head coach. In 2015, her lifters captured the Class 1 state championship, the school’s 5th powerlifting title in 10 years. Coach Owen also served as an assistant coach for Bruce’s 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2012 state championships. Off the weights and in the classroom, Angie was named the 2015 Top Gun Teacher at Bruce High.

Boys’ Powerlifting

Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly (Kossuth High School)

Coach Brian Kelly hails from Tupelo and graduated from Kossuth High, Northeast Mississippi C.C. and Mississippi State. He has coached since 2003, when he started his career at Saltillo. After working as an assistant for two years at Tishomingo County, Brian was named head powerlifting coach at Pontotoc. Coach Kelly then arrived at his high school alma mater at Kossuth in 2009, where he has spent the last six years developing the Kossuth powerlifters. Under his guidance since 2010, the Aggies have won six consecutive region titles, three North State crowns and the 2015 Class 3A state championship.

10 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

cover story/continued

Girls’ Soccer

Melinda Scruggs

Melinda Scruggs (Lafayette County H.S.)

Originally from Tacoma, Washington, Coach Melinda Scruggs is a graduate of Stadium High in Tacoma and Ole Miss. A former team captain and outstanding goalkeeper at Ole Miss, she started her 11-year coaching career at Columbus State University as an assistant.

After working four years as an assistant at Ole Miss, she was named head girls’ soccer and softball coach at Lafayette High in 2009. Coach Scruggs’ Lady Commodores have compiled a record on the pitch of 73 wins and 39 losses in her 6-year stint as head coach. Coach Scruggs’ teams have won three district titles, one North State crown and the 2015 state title. This year’s award is her first MAC Coach of the Year honor.

Boys’ Soccer

Mike Thomas

Mike Thomas (Southeast Lauderdale H.S.)

Coach Mike Thomas of Southeast Lauderdale has been honored with his first-ever MAC Coach of the Year Award for boys’ soccer by leading the Tigers to the 2015 1A/2A/3A state championship. A Meridian native who graduated from Meridian High, Southern Miss and Mississippi State, he has coached for 29 years, starting at his prep alma mater. In 2005, he coached at Clarkdale High before moving to Southeast Lauderdale in 2007. Through the years, his boys’ soccer teams have a record of 79 wins, 40 losses and 2 ties. Coach Thomas is no stranger to championship squads, as he served as an assistant coach on three state championship softball teams at Meridian in 1986, 1996 and 1999, and one state title softball team at Clarkdale in 2005. In addition to being recognized by the MAC, the Jackson Clarion Ledger also honored Coach Thomas as the 2015 Boys’ Soccer Coach of the Year.

Fast Pitch Softball

Lee Berryhill

Lee Berryhill (East Webster High School)

A native of Eupora, Coach Lee Berryhill is a graduate of Eupora High, Holmes C.C. and Mississippi State. His 21-year career began at Wheeler, where he coached baseball for one season before moving to Eupora as head baseball coach for the next 17 years, earning two State Championships. He arrived at East Webster in 2012 and has transformed the Lady Wolverines into a softball powerhouse. In 2015, Coach Berryhill’s fast pitch Lady Wolverines won their third consecutive Class 2A state championship. Lee’s 2014 slow pitch squad also captured the Class 2A state title, which landed the school four state crowns in softball in his three short seasons as head coach. Coach Berryhill’s softball teams have a combined a 384–160 record, while his baseball teams have a 249–129 record. Having guided Eupora to the 2000 and 2003 Class 2A state championships, he also served as an All-Star baseball coach in 2003.

Slow Pitch Softball

Justin Chaney

Justin Chaney (Newton County H.S.)

Veteran softball mentor Coach Justin Chaney of Newton County High is the 2015 MAC Girls Slow Pitch Softball Coach of the Year. A native of Meridian and graduate of Newton County High, East Central C.C. and Mississippi State, he has been in the coaching profession for 16 years. In 2014, Coach Chaney led his Lady Cougars slow pitch team to its second straight Class 4A state championship. Since 2006, he has paced the Newton County Lady Cougars softball squads to six fast pitch state titles and seven slow pitch state championships. This year’s award is Coach Chaney’s fourth MAC Coach of the Year honors, as he was named Sow Pitch Coach of the Year in 2005–06, and Fast Pitch Coach of the Year in 2007–08, 2011–12 and 2014–15.

Justin was previously named the state Softball Coach of the Year in 2008 by the MHSAA.

Swimming

Lauri Collins

Lauri Collins (St. Joseph, Madison)

A native of Vicksburg and graduate of St. Aloysius, Millsaps and Vanderbilt, Coach Lauri Collins has been a swimming coach for 40 years, with 24 years in the high school ranks.

From 1991 to 2006, Lauri led the Jackson Academy Raider swimming teams to an amazing 16 overall championships. She arrived at St. Joseph in 2007 and has led the Bruins’ swim squad for eight years. In addition to leading the Bruins boys’ squad to a state championship, Coach Collins paced her River Hills summer-league team to four undefeated seasons from 1983 to 1986, and she guided a Courthouse summer-league squad to 15 straight city championships from 1999 to 2014. She is also a two-time recipient of the Conoco Phillips Outstanding Service to Swimming Award in 1995 and 2011. www.mscoaches.com – fall 2015 – M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h 11

MAC Hall of Fame/continued

Tennis

Pam Champion

Pam Champion (East Webster H.S.)

Coach Pam Champion hails from Aberdeen and graduated from Clay County High in Montpelier before receiving her college degree at Wood College in Mathiston. She began her coaching career at Hebron Christian in Pheba as head softball coach in 1997 before being named head tennis coach at East Webster in 2010. In 2015, Coach Champion led the Wolverines’ tennis netters to their second straight Class 2A state championship. Additionally, her Lady Wolverines captured the 2013 girls’ 2A singles and boys’ 2A doubles. Coach Champion’s tennis teams have won 56 matches with only 8 losses in her 5 seasons at East Webster.

She was an MAC All-Star coach in 2014, and her summer youth tennis teams have advanced to state championship play six straight years, with four titles and two runner-up finishes.

Girls’ Track

Heath Dudley

Heath Dudley (J. Z. George H.S.)

Coach Heath Dudley hails from Hamilton, Alabama, and is a graduate of Hamilton High and Mississippi State. He has coached for 15 years at Bevill State C.C. in Hamilton, Jacksonville State and at J. Z. George High. In 2015, Heath led the Lady Jaguars’ track team to the school’s third consecutive girls’ Class 2A state championship. Overall, Coach Dudley has guided the Jaguars to 18 track or cross country state championships, including 7 girls’ track Class 2A state titles, 6 boys’ track class 2A state championships, 4 boys’ Class 2A cross country state titles and 1 girls’ Class 2A cross country crown. In 2000, he led Bevill C.C. to the NJCAA men’s cross country national championship. This year’s MAC award is Coach Dudley’s third MAC honor, as he was named Boys’ Track Coach of the Year in 2008 and Girls’ Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2009. He was also honored as the 2009 NFHS Boys’ Track Coach of the Year and the 2014 USTFCCA Boys’ Cross Country Coach of the Year. Heath was named national Boys’ Cross Country Coach of the Year by the NJCAA in 2000.

Boys’ Track

Jeffery Gibson

Jeffery Gibson (McComb High School)

For leading the McComb Tigers boys’ track squad to its second straight Class 4A state championship, the MAC has named Jeffery Gibson the High School Boys’ Track Coach of the Year. Born in Gloster, Coach Gibson graduated from Amite County High, Southwest C.C. and Arkansas Monticello, where he was a star on the football and track teams. Jeffery started his 11-year coaching career in Oklahoma at Tulsa Memorial, Tulsa Central and Idabel High schools. In 2012, he arrived at McComb where he worked as assistant one season before taking over as head coach of the Tigers’ track team. In his three years at McComb, he has guided the boys’ thincladders to two consecutive state titles, and his Lady Tigers also won the 2015 Class 4A track state championship. In addition to this year’s MAC award, Coach Gibson was named the MS Preps Boys’ Track Coach of the Year, and he was nominated as Girls’ Track Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Volleyball

Mike Meyers

Mike Meyers (Our Lady Academy H.S.)

For the second year in a row and the fourth time in his career, championship veteran Coach Mike Meyers has been named the High School Volleyball Coach of the Year by the MAC. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Mike is a graduate of St. Stanislaus and Louisiana Tech. He began his 24-year coaching career in 1974, when he coached football and baseball in the state of Louisiana. Coach Meyers arrived at Our Lady Academy in 2000, and for the past 15 years, he has paced the Lady Crescents to 440 wins with only 100 losses. He has guided Our Lady Academy to an amazing 15 division titles and 9 state volleyball championships. In 2014, the Lady Crescents won their third straight state championship, their seventh state title in nine years. In addition to his fourth MAC Coach of the Year award, Coach Meyers has also received similar honors by the MHSAA twice and by the Sun Herald on five occasions.

12 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

Also, Congratulations to MAC Community College

Coaches of the Year!

Men’s Basketball

Jason Flanigan

Jason Flanigan (Holmes C.C.)

Coach Jason Flanigan, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, is a former basketball letterman at Ole Miss and has been the Bulldog head coach for seven seasons. Before being named head coach, Jason worked as an assistant coach at Ole Miss and Xavier at New Orleans, where the Gold Rush won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and made two straight NAIA tournament appearances. He arrived as an assistant at Holmes in 2005 and helped the Bulldogs capture back-to-back MACJC state championships in 2006 and 2007. In the 2014–15 season, Coach Flanigan led Holmes to a record of 25–7 and a 2nd place finish in the MACJC state tournament. Under his guidance, the Bulldogs played in the Region 23 tournament, winning 2 games before falling 73-72 to Hill College in the quarterfinals.

Women’s Basketball

Gwyn Young

Gwyn Young (Copiah-Lincoln C.C.)

Coach Gwyn Young, who hails from Brookhaven and graduated from Co-Lin and Mississippi College, is the winningest active community college women’s basketball coach in the state of Mississippi and in the nation with a record of 864–244. This year’s award represents the sixth time the MAC has named Coach Young as Community College Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, as he previously received this award in 1993, 2001, 2007, 2011 and 2013. In the 2014– 15 season, he led the Co-Lin Lady Wolves’ hoops team to a record of 27–1 and the school’s 18th MACJC state championship, the 8th under Coach Young. In addition to the MAC honors, Coach Young has been MACJC Coach of the Year on seven occasions (including 2015) and was chosen as Region 23 Coach of the Year seven times. Gywn is a member of the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2013), the MACJC Hall of Fame (2012), the MAC Coaches Hall of Fame (1998) and the Copiah-Lincoln CC Athletic Hall of Fame (1997). The court at Mullen Gymnasium on the campus at Co-Lin is named “Gwyn Young Court” in his honor.

Baseball

Sam Temple

Sam Temple (Hinds C.C.)

For leading the Hinds C.C. Eagles baseball team to the 2015 MACJC State Championship, the 2015 Region 23 title, a number-one NJCAA national ranking and its second consecutive appearance in the NJCAA World Series tournament, the MAC has selected Coach Sam Temple as the Community College Baseball Coach of the Year. A native of Vicksburg and a graduate of Hinds C.C. and Delta State, Coach Temple began his coaching career as an assistant at Delta State before serving as head coach at Warren Central from 1996 to 2001 and at Clinton for one season. He arrived at Hinds after working as an assistant coach at Mississippi College and has led the Eagles program to four MACJC state titles, five Region 23 tournament appearances with two titles and two NJCAA World Series berths. In 2015, Coach Temple’s Eagles finished with a school record mark of 43–7, the school’s 8th MACJC state championship (4 under Coach Temple) and their second straight Region 23 crown and appearance in the NJCAA World Series. This year’s award is Coach Temple’s first from the MAC, but he was been named the MACJC Coach of the Year in 2010, 2012 and 2015.

www.mscoaches.com – fall 2015 – M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h 13

cover story/continued

Buddy Stephens

Glenn Davis

Football

Glenn Davis (Copiah-Lincoln C.C.) Buddy Stephens (East Mississippi C.C.)

For the fifth consecutive year, the MAC has selected Co-Coaches of the Year for community college football.

Coach Glenn Davis led the Copiah-Lincoln Wolfpack in 2014 to a record of 8–3 and the MACJC South Division crown. A graduate of Delta State, he is in his 12th season as a head coach following a career that includes stops at South Natchez High, Mississippi State, North Alabama and Holmes C.C. His teams have posted an overall record of 60–42 and 6 consecutive winning seasons, a feat that has not happened at the school since the 1980s.

In addition, Coach Davis led the Wolfpack to the 2012 MACJC State Championship, plus national rankings with over a dozen players signed to Division 1 football programs.

This year’s MAC honor is Coach Davis’ first MAC Coach of the Year recognition.

Coach Stephens, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, and a graduate of Pearl River C.C. and Delta State, has coached for 25 years. The former high school coach in Alabama and Louisiana has coached football in the JUCO ranks for 18 seasons and previously led the Pearl River C.C. Wildcats to 4 consecutive MACJC state titles and the 2004 NJCAA national football championship. He arrived at East Mississippi C.C. in 2007 and has paced the Lions to a record of 68–10 and the school’s third NJCAA national football championship in 4 years. In 2014, his Lions gridiron team finished with its second consecutive perfect season at 12–0 and its second straight MACJC state title and NJCAA national championship. Coach Stephens’ team enters the 2015 season with a winning streak of 24 consecutive games and is poised to break the all-time NJCAA record of 26 straight football wins held by Blinn College in Texas. This year’s MAC award is Coach Stephens’ second in a row, and he was also named the first two-time recipient of the American Community College Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year and the NJCAA National Football Coach of the Year.

Softball

Kenneth Long

Kenneth Long (Gulf Coast C.C.)

Coach Kenneth Long is a graduate of MGCCC and Southern Miss and has been head softball coach of the Lady Bulldogs’ softball program since 2002. In 2015, Coach Long’s Lady Bulldogs compiled a school record of 46–13, won the MACJC state championship, the Region 23 title and finished in 9th place at the NJCAA Division 2 softball tournament. Overall, Coach Long has guided MGCCC to a mark of 479–169, including 6 MACJC South Division titles, 4 MACJC state championships, 4 Region 23 titles and 4 appearances in the NJCAA tournament, including a 3rd place national finish in 2007. In addition to this year’s MAC accolades, Coach Long is a combined six-time Coach of the Year as selected by MACJC and Region 23 in 2002, 2007 and 2009. Prior to his arrival at Perkinston, Kenneth led the East Central High softball program from 1997 to 2001 and guided his team to the 2001 Class 4A state championship.

Women’s Tennis

Mark Easley

Mark Easley (Jones County Junior College)

The MAC Community College Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year for 2015 is Mark Easley of Jones Junior College. Now in his 17th year at Jones, the Vardaman native and Delta State Hall of Fame graduate previously coached a variety of sports at Northeast Jones High and Neshoba Central before being named the Bobcat men’s and women’s tennis coach. In 2015, his Lady Bobcat netters won their second consecutive Region 23 title and a berth in the NJCAA National Division 1 tournament in Tucson, Arizona. Along with the MAC award, Coach Easley was also named MACJC and Region 23 Coach of the Year and was recognized as the Region III Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and Wilson. This year’s MAC honor is his third MAC Coach of the Year recognition, as he was Community College Men’s Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2011. Matching this year’s additional awards, Coach Easley also previously received MACJC Coach of the Year awards for his Jones women’s tennis squads in 2009 and 2010. R

14 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

state champions //

A Hearty Hurray for Our 2014–2015

State Championship-Winning Coaches!

Baseball 1A – Craig Beesley (Cathedral) 2A – Wes Johnson (East Webster) 3A – Larry Knight (Sumrall) 4A – Mark Logan (St. Stanislaus) 5A – Chris Baughman (Oxford) 6A – Mark Monaghan (DeSoto Central)

Girls’ Basketball 1A – Pearlene Fairley (Pelahatchie) 2A – Bill Brand (East Webster) 3A – Chris Higginbottom (Belmont) 4A – Mike Coleman (Raymond) 5A – Alphaka Moore (Natchez) 6A – Janna Thompson (Horn Lake)

Boys’ Basketball 1A – Anthony Davis (Shaw) 2A – Corey Mackey (Bay Springs) 3A – Anthony Carlyle (Velma Jackson) 4A – Hilton Harrell (McComb) 5A – David Sanders (Callaway) 6A – Greg Carter (Starkville)

Girls’ Bowling Class I – Creighton Nelms (Kossuth) Class II – Joey Blount (Neshoba Central)

Boys’ Bowling Class I – Kevin Hartigan

(Tupelo Christian) Class II – Guy McCoy (Tupelo)

Girls’ Cross Country 1A – Michael Seger (Hickory Flat) 2A – Byron Sparks (New Site) 3A – Gwynn Grant (Choctaw Central) 4A – Rob Philip (Corinth) 5A – George Kersh (Pearl) 6A – Tim Sayers (Ocean Springs)

Boys’ Cross Country 1A – Linda Allen (JFK Memorial) 2A – Heath Dudley (J.Z. George) 3A – Price Chadwick (St. Andrew’s) 4A – D.P. Daigle (St. Stanislaus) 5A – Chris Patton (Oxford) 6A – Geary Howell (Madison Central)

Football

Fast Pitch Softball

1A – Ron Rushing (Cathedral) 2A – Lance Mancuso (Bassfield) 3A – Ryan Earnest (Collins) 4A – Tyrone Shorter (Noxubee County) 5A – Todd Breland (Laurel) 6A – Lance Pogue (South Panola)

1A – Jeremy Duke (Smithville) 2A – Lee Berryhill (East Webster) 3A – Austin McNair (Philadelphia) 4A – Justin Chaney (Newton County) 5A – Trae Embry (Neshoba Central) 6A – Jimmy Parker (Harrison Central)

Slow Pitch Softball

Girls’ Golf Class I – Liz Fletcher (St. Aloysius) Class II – Gregg Perry (Germantown) Class III – Drew Causey (Oak Grove)

Boys’ Golf 1A – Kerry Jeroux (Sacred Heart) 2A – W.T. Smith (Calhoun City) 3A – Bart Greenhaw (Booneville) 4A – Bob Saucier (St. Stanislaus) 5A – Gregg Perry (Germantown) 6A – Todd Beach (Madison Central)

Girls’ Powerlifting Class I – Angie Owen (Bruce) Class II – Casey Meeks (Velma Jackson) Class III – Calvin Hampton (Meridian)

Boys’ Powerlifting 1A – Josh Ladner (D’Iberville) 2A – Jason Russell (Oxford) 3A – Marty Warren (Pontotoc) 4A – Brian Kelly (Kossuth) 5A – Scott Duley (East Union) 6A – Chris Courtney (Pelahatchie)

Girls’ Soccer 1A/2A/3A – Dwyane Demmin

(St. Joseph, Madison) 4A – Melinda Scruggs (Lafayette) 5A – Josh Sullivan (West Jones) 6A – Cecil Hinds (Madison Central)

Boys’ Soccer 1A/2A/3A – Mike Thomas

(SE Lauderdale) 4A – Ryan Joiner (St. Stanislaus) 5A – Chris Rash (Pearl) 6A – Cecil Hinds (Madison Central)

1A – Jeremy Duke (Smithville) 2A – Lee Berryhill (East Webster) 3A – Austin McNair (Philadelphia) 4A – Justin Chaney (Newton County) 5A/6A – Trae Embry (Neshoba Central)

Girls’ Swimming Class I – Brian Ware (Madison Central) Class II – Thatch Shepard (St. Andrew’s)

Boys’ Swimming Class I – Lucas Smith (Tupelo) Class II – Thatch Shepard (St. Andrew’s)

Tennis 1A – Marcia Williams (Greenville St. Joseph) 2A – Pam Champion (East Webster) 3A – Emilia Viljoen (St. Andrew’s) 4A – Suzy Bowman (New Albany) 5A – Louis Nash (Oxford) 6A – Kathy Gendron (Ocean Springs)

Girls’ Track 1A – Keiko Booth (St. Aloysius) 2A – Heath Dudley (J.Z. George) 3A – Price Chadwick (St. Andrew’s) 4A – Jeffery Gibson (McComb) 5A – George Kersh (Pearl) 6A – Jonathan Perkins (Clinton)

Boys’ Track 1A – Michael Fields (St. Aloysius) 2A – Heath Dudley (J.Z. George) 3A – Zackery Fortenberry (Tylertown) 4A – Jeffery Gibson (McComb) 5A – Chris Bush (Oxford) 6A – Michael Evans (Olive Branch)

Volleyball Class I – Mike Meyers (OLA) Class II – Gary Hentz (Lewisburg) Class III – Margaret Falatko

(DeSoto Central) R

www.mscoaches.com – fall 2015 – M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h 15

// news

from MAC

Gulf Coast Coaching Clinic

MAC Announces Inductees to the

2015 Hall of Fame

February 24–26, 2016 Beau Rivage Biloxi, Mississippi

Banquet held at The Hilton Hotel, Jackson, MS June 26, 2015 Sponsored by BankPlus

The 53rd Annual Gulf Coast Coaching Clinic will take place February 24–26, 2016, at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MS. The Clinic was founded in 1964 by Lindy Callahan and Leo Jones. For more information, go to www.gulfcoastcoachingclinic.com Seated (left to right): Robert L. Williams, Glasper Gerone Kirkland and Brenda Lewis.

Standing (left to right): Ronnie Cuevas and Doug Hutton.

Don’t Miss Next Year’s

Fid Jones Memorial Golf Tournament,

Coach Bob Monroe

Receives the Coach Roy Garcia Outstanding Coach Award Coach Bob Monroe of New Albany was recognized for his years of distinguished service to his students and athletes and was selected to receive the Coach Roy Garcia Outstanding Coach Award. The award was presented at the Coaches Clinic on July 17, 2015 (Hilton Hotel, Jackson, MS). This award, which was established to honor Coach Roy Garcia (who dedicated countless hours to helping students both on and off the field), recognizes coaches who exemplify the “best of the best” in high school athletics and coaching.

July 18–19,2016

Special thanks to all of the coaches who supported this year’s Golf Tournament.

Next year’s event will be held on July 18–19, 2016. Make plans to attend!

Sponsored by Rex Team Sports

Left to right: Coach Roy Garcia, Coach Bob Monroe and Coach Shane Anderson.

Congratulations to Sheri Shramek, Amanda Price Award Recipient

Sheri Shramek, wife of Coach Tim Shramek, was presented the 2015 Amanda Price Award at the Multi-Sports Clinic in July. The Amanda Price Award is presented to a coach’s wife who continuously gives outstanding support and encouragement to her coach, on and off the field. Congratulations, Sheri!

If you would like to nominate your wife for this award, please be sure to submit a letter (to www.mississippicwa.com) by the deadline date. Nominations for next year’s award will begin in Spring 2016.

Left to right: Coach Ron Price, Coach Tim Shramek, Sheri Shramek and Carrie Cook.

16 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

2015 Mississippi/ Alabama All-Star Football Classic

Kudos to MAC’s

2014–15 Service Award Winners

December 12, 2015

45-Year Service Award

The 29th Annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic will be played in the state of Mississippi for the first time in history on Saturday, December 12, 2015, at the M. M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. From 1988 to 2010, the game was played exclusively at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, AL, with the Alabama All-Stars holding a 17–6 margin over the Mississippi All Stars. The game was then moved to to the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, AL, where it was played from 2011 to 2014, with Alabama holding a 4-0 winning edge. Overall, Alabama leads the 28-year-old series over Mississippi 21–7.

The game is co-sponsored by the Mississippi Association of Coaches and the Alabama High School Athletic Association. The game has produced numerous players who have gone on to play college and pro football. Notable players in this series include Chris Jones (MS, MS State), Steve McNair (MS, Alcorn), Rolando McClain (AL, Alabama), Deuce McAllister (MS, Ole Miss), Jason Campbell (AL, Auburn), Julio Jones (AL, Alabama), Nick Fairley (AL, Auburn), Jerrell Powe (MS, Ole Miss); Chad Bumphis (MS, MS State); A. J. McCarron (AL, Alabama), Carnell Williams (AL, Auburn), D. T. Shackelford (AL, Ole Miss), Anthony Dixon (MS, MS State), JaMarcus Russell (AL, LSU), Jameis Winston (AL, Florida State) and Mike Espy (MS, Ole Miss).

Currently, Alabama has a seven-game winning streak in the series dating back to 2007.

The longest winning streak for the Mississippi squad is four games from 1992 to 1995.

35-Year Service Award

Mack Fanning (SE Lauderdale) Michael Martin (Natchez)

30-Year Service Awards Bubba Davis (Wayne County) Nanci Gray (Itawamba CC) Greg Williams (St. Martin)

25-Year Service Awards Portland Brown (Sumrall) Patrick Hargro (Port Gibson) Andy Richey (Wheeler) To be recognized for your years of coaching service, contact the MAC office to receive the form. The form is also available in the 2015–16 Directory and online. The forms must be completed and received in the MAC office by June 1, 2016, to be recognized at the Hall of Fame Banquet.

www.mscoaches.com – fall 2015 – M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h 17

// Index

news from MAC/continued

2015 Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Game

of Advertisers

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December 19, 2015

The 67th Annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Game will be played on December 19 at Gulfport High School’s Milner Stadium. Thanks to Gulfport School District Superintendent Glen East, and all of the staff, for supporting the MAC.

North Team Coaches Head Coach: Pat Byrd (Saltillo) Assistant Coaches: Chris Jones (Kemper County) Scott Martin (Charleston) Chris McCrory (Saltillo) Kris Pickle (New Hope) Tim Shramek (Germantown) Matt Wallace (DeSoto Central) Scout Coach: Doug Jones (Corinth)

South Team Coaches Head Coach: Lance Mancuso (Bassfield) Assistant Coaches: Brad Duncan (West Marion) Chris Fortenberry (Long Beach) Ryan Higdon (Bassfield) Mario Lane (Forest Hill) Stephen Rice (Crystal Springs) Eddie Wayne Whitehead (St. Martin) Scout Coach: Jeff Stockstill (Raleigh)

MAC’s 2015-2016 Winners of the

World Class Athletic Surfaces Scholarship World Class Athletic Surfaces provides two $500 scholarships to be presented to children of MAC members. The two recipients selected at random during the MAC General Business Meeting during the 2015 Coaches Clinic were: Kimberly Brooke Pullen Daughter of Coach Kevin Pullen (Kosciusko), attending Mississippi State University Tavares Johnson Son of Coach Matoschia Johnson (Simmons), attending Alcorn State University

Scan the QR code: Download your favorite QR reader to your phone, and scan the code to learn more about these companies.

Digital Marketplace

Thank you, World Class Athletic Surfaces, and congratulations to our recipients! R

18 M i s s i s s i pp i C oac h – fall 2015 – www.mscoaches.com

Leading Edge Communications.............7 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

Mississippi Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center............Back Cover www.healthplexperformance.com

Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of Tobacco Control....................17 www.healthyms.com/tobacco

MS Coaches Wives Association..........18 www.mississippicwa.com

Southern Athletic Fields............ Inside Front Cover www.safdirt.com

Spectrum Scoreboards.......................13 www.spectrumscoreboards.com

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