2012

COATS from page Bl the Chicago Cubs and played one year of pro ball." Did pretty good, too. Coats led his rookie league in stolen bases with 32 in the 90-game season, and batted ·.280. But he returned to Mississippi Southern to get his degree and began coaching at Clara High School- as its basketball coach. He also was an assistant football coach, and soon afterwards, got his first head football coaching job, at Seminary in 1963. In 1965, be was named Coach of the Year for the Apache Conference. 'We were 1-9 that first year and either 7-3 or 8-2 the second," he said. Afew years, and a few stops, later, Coats was coaching in Decatur. By then, his sons were playing for the Warriors. And the 1978 team wellt unde– feated a'nd was ranked No. 1 in the state by the jackson Clarion-Ledger. "That was equal to a state championship now," Coats ·said, adding that there were no playof.fs in those days. He moved on to Delta State as an assistant foot– ball coa.ch, and took the Hattiesburg High head coaching ~o~ition in 1984, staying through the·1990 season. In 1989, the Tigers went undefeated in the reg– ular season, were ranked No.1 in the state and won the South State championship before losing 24-21 to West Point in the Class SA state championship game. Then it was on to Pearl River. His 1992 team went 10-1, won the MACJC South State title and was ranked No. 7 nationally before losing in the state championship game. After Pearl River came a three-year stint at East Central Community College beginning in 19,95. "Vife lost our first eight games and won the last two that first season," Coats said. "The next year, we went 10-1. We won 19 of our last 23 games there." The 1996 East Central team went 10-1, was ranked No. 5 in the nation, and won the Huddle House Golden Isles Bowl in Brunswick, Ga., with a 7-6 victory against Middle Georgia College. Coats was named Mississippi's coach of the year. 'The first time I coached was in September 1960 as an assistant at Clara," Coats said "We played bigger, tougher Waynesboro, and Waynesboro beat us. After that game, I was totally exhauste,d. I thought, 'Man, I'm tireder than when I played. It was like a two-hour boxing match." But it was competition, and that's another thing that got Coats where he is today. "I still love to compete," said Coats, who turned 76 this spring. "I recently shot my age in golf. I always enjoyed the competition, trying to beat the other guy. '·I am so thankful! was able to enjoy making a Jiving at it I had a great bunch of assistant coaches and players. I hope in a small way l've'been a great influence on,kids the same way my coaches were an influence on me." Coats was previously selected to the ECCC Ath– letic Hall of Fame in 1999 and the USM Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. CoatS lives in Petal, not surprisingly very near Twill Pines Country Club. Newton County Appeal sports editor Mlrty Stamper contributed to this report.

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