AHSAA | Alabama High School Athletic Association

TONY BAGGIANO      Tony Baggiano is a graduate of Jamestown High School (N.Y.) and The Citadel.      The veteran football and basketball official from Montgomery called contests from 1973-1994 and served as one of the AHSAA’s chief clinicians, administering more than 150 rules clinics and serving in many leadership positions in the officiating program. Baggiano even flew back from Washington D.C. on one occasion to work an assignment he had accepted for that night.      The retired U.S. Air Force Colonel served on the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Board of Directors from 1990-1996 and was chairman of the Pan American Sports Council. A judge at National and World Junior Water Ski Championships, he is a member of the American Water Ski Educational Foundation Hall of Fame.      With loyalty to the AHSAA, his major attribute has been his passion to make all officials and officiating in general better for everyone.   DOUG BARFIELD      Doug Barfield is a graduate of Clarke County High School and the University of Southern Mississippi.      The former Auburn University head football coach has been a major contributor to the AHSAA as a head coach, athletic director, marketing director, and in a coordinating role for the wrestling weight management program and corporate partner Encore Rehabilitation. The Grove Hill native compiled a 25-5 record as head coach at UMS-Wright from 1963-65 and a 15-4-1 mark at Andalusia before moving into college coaching for 18 years at Southern Miss, Clemson, Auburn and Mississippi State.      Barfield returned to the prep ranks in 1989, guiding Hillcrest-Evergreen to an 8-1 inaugural season record and Opelika to a 40-19 mark. His overall prep record was 88-29-1.      He quarterbacked the South win in the 1953 North-South All-Star Game and became the game’s first player to return to the game as coach in 1964.    JOE BELYEU       Joe Belyeu is a graduate of CoosaCounty High School and Athens State College.      Belyeu spent 23 of his 28 years incoaching at Central of Coosa County where his basketball teams have won fourstate championships (1995, 2000, 2001, 2004) and finished runner-up in 2008. Healso coached five Goodwater teams that posted a 94-46 record and reached thesemifinals in 1987. He had a 526-223 career coaching record entering the 2010-11season.      He was named state coach of the yeartwice (1995, 2004) and recipient of the Cap Brown Coach of the Year honor in2001. Named Southeast Coach of the Year in 2001, he coached in the 2000Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic and also in the North-South All-Star game.      Passionate about his work,he has influenced many students through his leadership in the classroom,athletics and community.   WANDA GILLILAND      Wanda Gilliland is a graduate of Marion County High School and Athens State College.      Gilliland served as a teacher and coach/athletic director at Hamilton High School from 1979-1996 where her girls basketball teams compiled a 301-96 record, won a state championship in 1990, finished runner-up the next year and won the Marion County tournament seven times.      An AHSAA assistant director since 1996, she has played a key role in the development of state championship programs in volleyball, softball, basketball and cross country. She has helped govern eligibility requirements through involvement with school audits, investigations and foreign exchange student regulations.      She has received several coach of the year honors and served on the NFHS basketball, softball and spirit rules committees. She was inducted into the Marion County Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.    GEORGE HATCHETT       George Hatchett is a graduate of Ramsay High School and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.      The Birmingham native has coached boys basketball for 26 years at Vestavia Hills where his teams won state championships in 1992 and 2009 and finished as regional runner-up twice while posting a 506-345 overall record entering the 2010-11 season. He also coached at Fairfield, Mortimer Jordan and Pizitz Middle School and has served as freshman football coach.       Named Coach of the Year twice by the Birmingham Tip-Off Club, he has served on the AHSAA basketball coaches’ committee.      Known for emphasizing character and personal growth, he recognizes the life lessons he teaches in athletics will provide the foundation for a successful future.   BILL MURRELL      Bill Murrell is a graduate of Ben Davis High School (Fla.) and Athens State College.      Murrell has been a teacher, coach and administrator since 1970 at Athens Bible School where he has served as head baseball coach for 37 years. In compiling a 658-351 overall record, his teams won a state crown in 2008, finished second five times (1980, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009) and reached the semifinals three other times. His teams have reached the state playoffs 27 times, including 21 of the last 24 years, and won 24 area titles. He was named state coach of the year in 2008 and 2002.       As head cross country coach for 34 years, he has guided his boys teams to four state championships (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980) and five runner-up finishes and his girls teams to two runner-up finishes. His program has produced 36 All-State runners and five individual state champions.   JOHNNY PATRICK      Johnny Patrick is a graduate of Kinterbish High School (Miss.) and Alabama State University.       He was named state coach of the year five times and served as head coach in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball Classic three times (1994, 1997, 2004). He also headed the 1996 South team in the North-South All-Star Game. Known for his discipline, determination and dedication in coaching, he is highly respected in Sumter County where he serves as a role model.      Serving Sumter County schools for 32 years, Patrick became one of the state’s premier basketball coaches from 1972-2004 as his Sumter County teams posted a 497-124 overall record with five state titles (1988, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2004) in 10 state tournament appearances.        He also served as head football coach, athletic director, social studies teacher and assistant principal.   LESTER SMITH       Lester Smith is a graduate of Foley High School and Southeastern Louisiana College.       He moved into administration in 1986 as principal, assistant principal and human resources director, then in 2001 returned to coaching football for three more years at Foley.       He served Baldwin County schools as a coach and administrator for 41 years, 19 of those at Foley where his football teams compiled a 119-53-2 record that included a 10-year stretch with a Mobile-area best 84-20 record. Five of his teams won Baldwin County championships and four reached the state playoffs.       He a member of four halls of fame: Baldwin County Coaches, Baldwin County Middle School Athletic, Foley High School and East Mississippi Community College Athletic.        He had a far-reaching positive influence on the lives of many young people.   JIM TATE       Jim Tate is a graduate of University Military School (Ala.) and The Citadel.       This legendary track and cross country coach at St. Paul’s Episcopal School for 33 years has won more state championships than any coach in AHSAA history—90. His boys track teams have 13 titles in outdoor track, 11 in indoor track and nine in cross country. His girls teams have 17 crowns in indoor track, 20 in outdoor track, and 18 in cross country. His junior high teams won two championships.       The 16 consecutive girls cross country titles (1983-1998) is the current national high school record. His teams have also posted 40 state runner-up finishes. He was named national cross country coach of the year in 1999.      The Atlanta native also coached at Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, S.C., and The Lovett School in Atlanta. The former Airborne U.S. Army Captain earned the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster for his service in Viet Nam.   WALDON TUCKER       Waldon Tucker is a graduate of Linden High School and Livingston State College.       Tucker is the state’s all-time winningest prep football coach with an overall record of 309-126-3, 284 of those wins in the AHSAA. He spent 28 of his 40 years in coaching at Fayette County High School where he guided an undefeated 1996 team to the Class 4A state title. One of his five Gordo teams went undefeated and won the 2A state crown in 1980. He also coached at Demopolis Academy.       He was named state coach of the year three times and coached in the North-South All-Star game. A member of the 1971 Livingston University (now West Alabama) NAIA national championship team, he has been inducted into the University’s hall of fame. He currently serves as a Fayette city councilman.      Known to be sensitive and caring toward his players and coaches, he has been supportive of the total school program.    LYLE UNDERWOOD        Lyle Underwood is a graduate of Foley High School and Florence State College.       Known as “Bull”, this Foley native spent 14 of his 20 years in coaching at Baldwin County High School where his football teams compiled a 102-38-3 overall record with seven state playoff appearances. During one stretch (1969-1972) his teams posted a 35-6 record and were ranked in the Top 10 four times. He also coached at Fairhope for four years and East Mississippi Junior College for two years.       Named county coach of the year four times, he is a member of the Foley High School and Baldwin County athletic halls of fame plus the Baldwin County Varsity Coaches Association Hall of Fame.      Underwood is considered the epitome of class and character as a role model to youth as well as adults.    JERRY WEEMS        Jerry Weems is a graduate of Walter Wellborn High School and Jacksonville State University.       Weems has coached for 34 years at Clay County where his basketball teams posted an overall 536-382 record with state championships in 1990 and 1991 and a runner-up finish in 1988. Two players, Billy Ross (3,383 points) and his son Lance (3,660 points), finished their careers as the state’s career scoring leaders.       As defensive coordinator he was instrumental in the football team’s state-record 55-game winning streak from 1994-1997. His 1994 defensive unit set a state record (including playoffs) of 22 points allowed while posting 11 shutouts. His baseball teams compiled a 139-102 mark with 10 trips to the state playoffs.        He also coached at Jacksonville, Cleburne County and Dadeville and in the Alabama-Mississippi all-star basketball game. The Clay County gym floor is named in his honor.