COACH OF THE YEAR
Jack Doss
Mae Jemison, Huntsville, Ala.
Details: Doss won his 10th state championship this season, a state record. He has won state titles at four schools (Hayes in Birmingham; Butler in Huntsville; J.O. Johnson in Huntsville and Mae Jemison), with an all-time record of 812-329. My players say my best quality is: Caring about their best interest or reaching their potential. Greatest achievement: Working with young men. We’ve had more than 40 Division I players and we’ve helped them succeed, to use basketball as a vehicle to get a college education.
Favorite class: Naturally, Physical Education. I wasn’t really good in math, English or science. That narrowed it down really
quickly. Outside of sports, I’m in
spired by: Gen. George Patton. He was a great motivator. He had a plan. He walked by vision, not just by sight. He was so well-respected. I still enjoy talking to different people who served under him. I’m likely to sing along to: I grew up listening to the Beach Boys, and I think Brian Wilson wrote the best song ever written, God Only Knows. Typical breakfast: The breakfast of champions, Honey Bunny chocolate milk or Krispy Kreme (doughnuts) with chocolate milk. Last movie I saw: Hacksaw
Ridge, which is the story of Desmond Doss, and we may be distant kin. Favorite teacher: Hugh Carter. He was the principal of a small middle school in the country (in DeArmanville, Ala.). He
was also the history teacher and the basketball coach. His name was Hugh Red Carter. When his face started turning red, you knew to stop what you were doing. He kept me in line, and I really appreciate the values he put into me. Could play my story: I like my wife’s version, but I’m not sure if she has cataracts. She says Pierce Brosnan. I would like Sean Connery. He has that presence. A year from now, I will be
doing: Whatever the Lord’s willed in my life. That’s exciting about every day, what direction I’m led in. My goal when I first got in it was to win five state championships. Somebody at that time had won four. Now, I’m blessed with 10. The good Lord can make things happen that we don’t think can happen. Favorite app on my phone: The Bible. I get the daily food that I need from that.