A look at Madison

ERIC TERRELL

A look at the man who stepped up and led Madison City Schools through the toughest challenge the school district has yet to face

STORY BY BOB LABBE PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

TThe challenges for all school districts in Alabama and across the nation seemed almost surreal as the impact of COVID-19 became all too real. School campuses shut down and educators found new ways to stay connected with their students. The man leading the Madison City

Schools District did not have a lot of experience at being the system’s superintendent. In fact, he had only been on the job a few days before the schools took their hardest hit from the crisis.

However, his leadership as the interim superintendent during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, steered the school district in the right direction and brought city and school leaders together. For that, Eric Terell has earned the admiration of a grateful city.

At age 39, Eric Terrell has experienced more than most at that young

age. On the verge of entering his 17th year in education, the native of Hamilton, Ala. has been a special education teacher, assistant athletic coach, a head coach, athletic director, assistant principal, assistant superintendent and interim superintendent all within the Madison City Schools System.

Despite all of his experiences he remains goal driven - “I plan to be a lifer in education and if the Good Lord’s willing, I would step into the superintendent position full-time.” Terrell is an easy-going, quiet leader as he understands his place in his career and how to deal with others, especially the young students.

Growing up in the small town of Hamilton located in Marion County with a population of less than 10,000, he played recreational sports and spent a lot of time at the homes of his grandparents where he would hunt, fish and watch TV shows such as Andy Griffith and Dukes of Hazzard. His athletic prowess included baseball, basketball, football and track and his desire to lead others led him to become an educator and athletics coach.

“I was attending school to become an electrical engineer as I was always interested in electronics helping others with their computers and installing electronics in their cars,” said Terrell. “I took up those types of things as a hobby and not a career.”

While attending Alabama A&M he came across the opportunity to coach a youth league team and soon fell in love with the idea of helping the youth around him. After three years into the degree program in electrical engineering, he suddenly switched gears and completed his degree in education. He

Eric Terrell leads a strategy meeting with Madison City Schools administrators in early March at the outset of the COVID-19 crisis in Alabama. Photo by John Peck

added, “I felt I could make a difference, motivate and guide others.”

Upon graduating from Alabama A&M in 2004 he took his first teaching assignment in special education and as a coach at Discovery Middle School. Soon afterwards, he moved across Madison to Liberty Middle School where he continued teaching special education and became head coach of both the football and basketball programs. From 2006-2012 he worked at Bob Jones High in special education along with becoming the head coach of the freshman football team and assistant head coach of the varsity team. During his tenure there he also became assistant principal.

Terrell assisted the opening of James Clemens High in 2012 as assistant principal and athletic director and remained there until he took a position within the Madison City Schools administration when he was named assistant superintendent in 2017 and, upon the retirement of superintendent Robby Parker earlier in 2020, was named interim superintendent until the organization hired a new person to handle the position of superintendent.

“It just wasn’t my time to have that position,” said Terrell of not being named superintendent.

Terrell and his wife of 15 years, LaTerra, have two daughters, 11-year old Kelsey and eight-year old Kylee. LaTerra works on Redstone Arsenal supporting the U.S. Government.

For Terrell, being a part of the school administration was never on his radar seeing himself as a teacher and coach. After all, his mentor was a special education teacher and coach at Hamilton High by the name of Blaine Hathcock who gave the young Terrell guidance in ways many could never think of.

“He told me to be a positive leader by having my face shaved, always dress well, being clean and carry myself with a positive attitude,” said Terrell. “I still contact him on occasions.”

Terrell chose special education because, “I didn’t want those students to stay behind the eight ball in life and wanted to give them hope and show them what’s out there in life,” said Ter

During the Bob Jones and James Clemens graduation ceremonies, Eric Terrell encouraged the Class of 2020 not to let circumstances hold them back to achieving their dreams. Photo by John Few

rell. “I loved the aspect of making a difference.”

He was hand selected to take the reins of the teams at Liberty as both programs were failing. At Bob Jones, his freshman football team sort of set the bar for the rest of the program as his team went undefeated. Terrell said there was more to that group of athletes than just winning. He added, “That was a very special group of athletes. They loved to practice and just enjoyed the athletics they were a part of.”

Once Terrell chose to leave the frontlines of student teaching and join the other team in administration he did notice he missed something. “Yeah, I did, as I see the lights on Friday nights I get that urge to coach again. Even now when I’m attending games for both Bob Jones and James Clemens I’m always on the sidelines near the action. Watching the players and coaches I always have that itch to coach.”

Terrell received his administration degree from Grand Canyon University in 2009 and he looks forward to someday using that education along with all of the experience he has gathered over the years to become a superintendent for a school system. He will use the knowledge he has gathered from his parents, grandparents, two siblings, teachers and coaches to be successful in whatever position he secures, but two things will be for certain- his knowledge will always be far beyond his age and the desire to coach will be everlasting.

Eric Terrell was presented a city coin in June by Madison Mayor Paul Finley for his leadership as interim superintendent during the COVID-19 crisis. Photo by John Peck

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ON THE GRILL

SMOKIN’ GOOD AT THE RICKY SHACK

Ideas from the RICKY SHACK • What Do I Really Need?

STORY BY RICHARD GEORGE PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

WWhat cooking equipment do you have and really The BGE comes in many different sizes, I prefer a use? What is your favorite BBQ grill/tool/seasoning/ Medium for my family. The 15” grilling surface eassauce? ily handles the 6 adults and 2 grandkids in my fam

These questions are asked quite frequently. What ily. BGE now has a 2XL with a 29” cooking surface prompted me to write a “What Do I Really Need” artito accommodate 18 to 20 steaks! They are easy to cle for Madison Living Magazine was a telephone call start with an electric charcoal starter or a natural from a friend in South Carolina asking me to come SpeediLight charcoal starter, but NEVER LIGHTER share some cooking secrets from the Ricky Shack FLUID. Lump charcoal made of hickory and oak with him and his wife. Now, my wife and I are eagerly provides a stable and long-lasting fire. Air flow conpacking some tools, cookbooks and our n95 masks. trollers on top and bottom allow you to accurately Maybe this article will help light a fire for your backcontrol temperatures between 150 degrees and 750 yard cookouts. Richard George degrees. The insulated ceramic construction retains

As with any hobby, there are favorite tools and @ricky_shack heat and moisture so that foods don’t dry out. The equipment. I am an “Egger” (biggreenegg.com) and a food tastes better and is more tender because the BBQ enthusiast. The Big Green Egg (BGE) is an extremely versajuices and flavors stay locked inside. Clean-up is easy. The retile cooking outdoor cooker, an all-in-one grill, roaster, smoker, sidual heat burns any grease buildup off of the interior surfaces baker and searer. It heats up and is ready to cook in minutes, – like a self-cleaning oven. No chemical cleaners are needed. will not rust, jam or wear out. It even has a lifetime warranty. The original concept for an egg-shaped cooker took root in Asia Here are a dozen items I have found most beneficial: approximately 3000 years ago. US Servicemen were exposed to 1. ConvEGGtor. This is a ceramic place setter used primarily for this during WWII. My Dad was a part of that Greatest Generaindirect cooking. It provides a barrier between the fire and the tion serving in the European and Mediterranean Theaters as well food, as well as allowing the heat to radiate within the dome. The as Korea. Dad, respectfully and affectionately referred to as “The convEGGtor can be used legs up for convection or legs down for Major” by my friends, cooked on several different type grills and baking. challenged me often to experiment with various foods and differ2. ThermoPro. An instant read, digital probe that is a fast, acent types of grills. curate and essential means of checking the internal temperature

The Ricky Shack

(IT) of foods. The IT is the most important guide to safety and is more important than cooking by time. 3. Dual Probe Digital Thermometer. Dual probes make it easy to monitor the grill temperature as well as the IT of the food item. Some units offer 4-6 probes as well as alarms to alert you when you have reached the desired IT or if the grill has deviated from your set temperature range. 4. Planks: Food Grade Planks offer an additional, fragrant flavor to food. My favorite is Cedar for Salmon. Simply soak the plank(s) in water for at least 30 minutes. Place the plank on the hot grill for approximately 15 minutes to char the wood, flip it for another 15 minutes to char and burn any splinters off of this side, flip again and add food. When you are finished cooking, wash the plank well with soap and water. Allow to dry and store for additional cooks. There are several other food grade planks available, such as Alder, Cherry, Hickory and Red Oak. 5. Temperature Guides: There are various guides available on Pinterest and other sites for the fire temperatures, suggested minimum IT and Rare/Medium/ Well temperature ranges. I like the sturdy, all-weather, magnetized guide from amazingribs.com. It is organized according to foods and easy to read. 6. Wood Chunks: An easy way to add additional smoky flavor to foods is with wood chunks. The chunks burn slower than chips and produce a longer more-gentle smoke. There is no need to soak chunks. My favorites are pecan and cherry because they give a mild, sweet, smoky flavor. Some people prefer the stronger, smokier hickory and mesquite. Try apple or peach for a sweet, fruity smoke on turkey. 7. Gloves: Heat resistant gloves are critical for protection, as you are working with 150º to 750º heat. Some cooks like a silicon or synthetic material that withstands high heat, offers good dexterity and allows repeated use, while others prefer welder’s gloves. 8. Foil: Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil is utilized to cover foods after removing from the grill and allowing the food to rest (redistribute natural juices) and finish cooking. Many cooks use a double layer of heavy-duty foil to wrap their ribs in the middle phase of the 3-2-1 cooking method (3 hours smoking on grill, wrapped tightly then cooked for 2 more hours, then unwrapped and placed back on grill for 1 more hour.)

When smoking a pork butt or beef brisket, double layers of heavy-duty foil are used to help push through the stall (approx. 165 degrees) on the way to your desired doneness. Foil keeps the meat moist, helps with tenderizing the meat and speeds up the cooking time. 9. Tongs: Stainless steel, heavy duty tongs, 9” to 12” length, with a pull ring locking mechanism make it easy to handle all types of meats easily and safely. Silicon tips may be more colorful, and easy to clean, but you lose the ability to tightly grasp some foods. 10. Grill Brush: Use a bristle free brush and a scraper before and immediately after each cook to remove any food articles or leftover seasonings and sauces. It helps to

lightly wipe down the grill with vegetable oil prior to cooking to prevent foods from sticking to the grill. 11. Light: A BBQ light that is water proof, melt proof and adjustable enables you to better see your foods up close. Head lamps and overhead deck lighting just doesn’t seem to work very well. Many lights offer a magnetic base and adjustable arm or can be mounted directly to your lid handle for direct lighting. 12. Miscellaneous. There are many more tools (or as my wife says: toys) available to enjoy and assist you in your cooking experience, e.g., kabob skewers, beerbutt chicken roaster, drum stick rack, rib rack, GrillGrate, cast iron griddle, cast iron skillets, Dutch oven, pizza stone and peel, large food platters, aluminum water trays, drip pans, EGGspander (double deck grill), Wi-Fi controllers, sharp knives. There are more tools than one can count or store efficiently. If I admitted to owning all of these items, you might think that I am a lunatic or some type of pyro-fanatic. And there is no doubt more than are included here.

Seasonings and Sauces

The two primary, critical and inexpensive seasonings are Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper. Start with these and then experiment with adding more flavors, e.g., garlic, onion, paprika, cayenne pepper, dill, rosemary, etc. There are literally thousands of recipes for different palates.

The staple commercial seasonings in my BBQ cabinet include:

• Everglades All Purpose • BGE Pecan Seasoning • Emeril’s Original Essence • Bad Byron’s Butt Rub • Hardin’s Seasoning • Three Little Pigs Touch of Cherry Rub • Lemon Pepper • Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

The Marinades or wet sauces in my refrigerator include: • Allegro Original Marinade • Moore’s Original Marinade • Sweet Baby Ray’s Sauce • Blues Hogg Sauce • Stubb’s Original Sauce • Wicker’s Original • Big Bob Gibson White Sauce • Betty’s Pear Preserves’ juice

You can experiment with cookbooks and Pinterest recipes, but start simple. A couple of my favorite, older books are the Southern Living Ultimate Book of BBQ, the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) Cookbook and the Big Green Egg Cookbooks.

My friend Chris Lilly, six-time world champion Pitmaster, from Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ in Decatur AL has two excellent cookbooks. I like Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbeque Joint, and Fire and Smoke: A Pitmaster’s Secrets. Chris has numerous You Tube videos.

Also, Aaron Franklin, Franklin BBQ of Austin TX is an influential Pitmaster, author of another one of my favorite cookbooks - Franklin Barbeque: A MeatSmoking Manifesto, and a recipient of the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef: Southwest in 2015 award. Aaron teaches a Masterclass on Teaching Texas-Style BBQ. He has many You Tube videos.

You might also enjoy You Tube videos by The BBQ Pit Boys, How To BBQ Right, Hey Grill Hey, BBQ My Way, Myron Mixon and Tuffy Stone.

MARINATE • INJECT • RUB SMOKE • SAUCE • ENJOY!

The most important thing is to ENJOY the experience.

Please note that there has been no monetary compensation provided by any of the suppliers or products for this article. Follow me on Twitter @ricky_shack