DINNER WITH OLD COACH

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FORMER COACH HORACE POWELL & WIFE ENTERTAIN CURRENT STAFF

Horace Powell has always loved the game of football going back to his playing days at Billingsley High School.  After his college days at Samford University he went into the coaching profession. 

His career as an assistant coach, began in South Alabama at Samson High School. He then took a side trip to St. Amant, Louisiana (near Baton Rouge) for a couple of seasons.  While coaching the Gators he got a telephone call from then Autauga County superintendent of education John Hargis.  Autauga County High School needed an assistant football coach as well as a biology teacher.  Horace Powell could do both.

After finishing out the 1961 football season in Louisiana Horace packed his bags and returned to his roots in Autauga County.  He joined the staff of the late Herb Chapman’s Autauga County High School Lions in the fall of 1961

When Chapman resigned in February 1965 following a tough 3-7 season, Horace Powell became the nineteen head coach of the Autauga County High School Lions.

His coaching ability brought an immediate turnaround to the Lions.   The Lions lost only one regular season game in his first year. Prattville was invited to play in the Greenville Junior Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Camellia Bowl.  

Not shabby for a first year coach.

After four years Powell had an opportunity to enter the insurance business with New York Life.  He resigned with a 26-13-1 record.  The record ranks seventh all time in the 97 year history of Prattville High School and the thirty-four head football coaches.

He never forgot his love for the game or the love for Prattville High School.  Over the years since he began his successful career, not only in the insurance field, but as well as a successful career in the Alabama Legislature as representative for four years, he kept a close watch on the activities at the public schools in the county.

Fourteen years ago he and his wife, his childhood sweetheart Nadine Weldon, now with an empty nest at home decided they wanted to do something for the football staff at PHS. Their four children were grown, married and on their own, so they decided to have all the football coaches over to the Powell house the week prior to the season’s opening game for a dinner.

Thursday night, August 23, the Powells continuned that tradition for the 14^th consecutive season as they entertained the current staff at Prattville High School. Thirty guests gather at the old coach’s home for an enjoyable evening of bar-be-que and all the side dishes that go with the south’s favorite meal.

As the evening dwindled down to closing time Coach Powell was into an intense conversation with new Lion head coach Chad Anderson.   Perhaps he was giving the rookie coach some advice.  Who knows he may have given coach Anderson some of the plays that his 1968 team used in their big 13-0 upset of Billy Livings’ Jeff Davis Volunteers.

The Volunteers were undefeated as the Lions won.  It was the first win for Autauga County over a Montgomery public school.

It was a very enjoyable evening with a gentleman who has been a big part of Prattville for a long, long time. Not only for the many achievements over a lifetime of service to the community, not just athletics but also the civic awards, much too long to list.

Thanks coach Powell.  Hope we can enjoy many more.

Those who enjoyed the evening were –

Coach Jeremy Cleveland and wife Melanie; coach Chad Anderson and wife Megan; coach Bam Richards and wife Melanie; coach Maurice Coleman; coach Jason Brown and wife Nancy; Danny Rye;

coach David Bush; Stacy Mills and wife Amy; coach Jess Smith; coach Obed Ellis and wife Jennifer; coach Ryan Wilson and wife Sue; Superintendent of Education Spence Agee and wife Cesily; Coach Martin Jackson and wife Jamie;

coach Xavier Robinson and friend Dawn; Jimmy White and wife Joy; coach Eddie Brown, and coach Powell’s son Chip and grandsons Tristan and Miles.