2021FallWarrior

ECCC Changed Former Warrior Mitchell’s Life

Central, I decided to quit and I was go- ing to join the Air Force, but they were closed the day I went to sign up. I told a family friend that I had quit football. He told me in not such nice words that I better get back to school. Then my Daddy told me the pulp wood truck was leaving early the next morning. I decided then that I better go back to school.” Pouncey’s widow, Alice, who was also a longtime instructor at the col- lege, recalled her husband’s recruit- ment of James. “Ken thought he had him recruited, but then he didn’t show up. So he went down to James’ house to see what he was up to and found him on a tractor in the hay field. He talked to him for a while and his Daddy let him put the tractor up and go back to campus with him that day. He and Ronnie (Parker, who also played football under Pouncey and is being inducted into the Hall of Fame

Hickory native James Mitchell, a member of the 1979 and 1980 War- rior football teams and current chap- lain for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League, was recently named to the Athletic Hall of Fame at East Central Community College. He said attending ECCC changed his life for the better and he was appreciative of this honor. “When Dr. (ECCC President Brent) Gregory called me, I was speechless. I am so appreciative of this award. East Central changed my life. If I hadn’t started at EC, I wouldn’t be here today. It was the start of a journey, the foun- dation for where I am now.” Mitchell entered his fourth season with the Titans in 2021. In his role as team chaplain, Mitch- ell works in conjunction with player engagement to help develop athletes off of the field. “I meet them where they (the players) are,” Mitchell

a pastor at Antioch Bible Church in Seattle, Wash. Mitchell also has 14 seasons of col- legiate coaching experience (1983 to 1996) at Central Arkansas, Arkansas, Southwest Baptist, Savannah State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Tennessee State. Mitchell graduated from the Univer- sity of Central Arkansas in 1984 with a degree in physical education. A mem- ber of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., he also earned a Master’s degree in Education from Southwest Baptist in 1989. But it all began when Coach Ken Pouncey recruited Mitchell out of Hickory High School to play football at then East Central Junior College. “By the third day of practice at East “ ” I am so appreciative of this award. East Central changed my life. If I hadn’t started at EC, I wouldn’t be here today. It was the start of a journey, the foundation for where I am now.

this year) were both good young men. They knew how to behave and listened to the coach.” Mitchell started out in a Ca- reer & Technical program, but said Coach Pouncey encour- aged him to take academic courses so that he might have an opportunity to continue his athletic career and educa-

said. “Some want Bible, some don’t. The key is to help them be a better man, husband, and father. Football takes care of itself. If they see a Christian man and how he reacts and lives his life, then actions are many times better than words. I have used many of my own experiences to help them and their future.”

tion at the next level. That advice paid off when he was recruited by Central Arkansas. “I really had no clue what I was going to do after East Central. I had decided in late July that the dairy farm where I worked would be my full-time career. I didn’t have much hope for a football scholarship and my grades were not that great. Then I got a call about an offer from Central Arkansas. They came and talked to my parents later that night while my Mom cooked supper for us. It didn’t take long for my Daddy to accept that scholarship for me. He said yes before I did! The Lord definitely had his hand on me for sure.”

Prior to joining the Titans, Mitch- ell worked at Duke University as the director of football development for the Blue Devil gridiron program for nine years from 2009 to 2018. From 2003 to 2009, he served six years as the team chaplain at the University of Tennessee, working with the football and men’s and women’s basketball programs. Before his tenure with the Volunteers, Mitchell served as a nation- al director of outreach for Pro Athletes Outreach, where he worked with both the National Football League and Major League Baseball. His other professional experience includes a stint as an area representa- tive for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Nashville, Tenn., and as

–MITCHELL continued on page 19

16