Best coach MA History

[buzzcoach]

Kelly Holder most winning coach in MA history with one State Title and several Conf Ships. Wallace Shelton was a legend and won several State Titles in 3 sports and Stadium is named after him. My pick Is Jerry Hollingsworth. He coached in a time you had to win Conference to make playoffs. Made several big runs in 3A when playoffs were hard from the first round. Eddie Cobb was great motivator and made it to West Finals few times and was great girls BB coach. Diamont is a legend at East Surry and wasn't at MA many years. J.K. has one State Title in 5 years and could easily had two. He could win a few more.

 

[REWhitley]

With absolute no slight to any of the many past really outstanding coaches and staff's, I believe answer is still to be determined. I could build a great case for three of those listed but I sincerely believe where we are right now may be on the cusp setting the standard.

 

[Jmappfan5]

Alex Gibbs (1966-68) would be on this list but he went to Duke as a DB Coach for '69 season. He also coached at Kentucky, W Virginia, Ohio State, Auburn & Georgia. Then coached for SB Champs Denver Broncos (twice), Raiders, Chargers, Colts, Chiefs, Falcons, Texans and Seahawks. He retired from the NFL in 2013. Coach passed away in July 2021. He was "hard core" but his players loved him. We won a State Championship during his tenure.

Best MA Coach: Hollingsworth

 

[ocdavis31]

Alex Gibbs (1966-68) would be on this list but he went to Duke as a DB Coach for '69 season. He also coached at Kentucky, W Virginia, Ohio State, Auburn & Georgia. Then coached for SB Champs Denver Broncos (twice), Raiders, Chargers, Colts, Chiefs, Falcons, Texans and Seahawks. He retired from the NFL in 2013. Coach passed away in July 2021. He was "hard core" but his players loved him. We won a State Championship during his tenure.

Best MA Coach: Hollingsworth

Alex was a Thomasville Bulldog. Great coaching career.

 

[DaddyDoug]

If you are talking football only, Holder, Hollingsworth and Shelton each coached for a long time and each were the best of their era. Their legacies are set, and it is a toss-up. JK is doing something special, and the future will set his legacy.

If you are referring to the term "MA coach" in the broad sense, Wallace Shelton is unequaled. He won 630 games. He had 150 football wins (3rd best), 198 boys' basketball wins (Best), 273 girls' basketball wins (Best), 9 baseball wins. He won 4 State Championships in football when there were only a few classifications. He won 1 State Championship in boys' basketball.

 

[Slasher Killer]

In terms of overall accomplishments I'd go with Gibbs. He not only won well at MA but he went up through every level and did well there too. He helped evolve the pro game with the innovations he did to blocking and O line play. His work with Denver was special and he helped make Terrell Davis what he was. Even Elway always talked highly of him. Surprised he never wanted a head coach job in college or NFL he coulda done it.

Overall I say Shelton though. He faced so many eclectic schools over his run due to how different the NCHSAA was in those days. He often played schools from bigger populations and they had epically long drives but he played well vs everyone. Heck his teams even played in what was called then "Bowl games," vs Wilkes Central back when they were in the WNCHSAA. The gate money went to charity but his teams were thought so highly of they were allowed to represent the whole organization in those bragging rights games. Before he retired they were playing big piedmont schools and they had a heck of a rivalry with Reidsville.


Charlie had a bad break following him; program had to rebuild once Wally retired. If he had some more stability he woulda had a good run. But MA's loss was our gain though he grew us exponentially in just a few years at North.

Hollingsworth was very solid he did a lot in an era where the Northwest was a very eclectic conference in terms of talent. Elkin had their run for a year years and MA had a few years where they won but besides that everyone was solid at least one year and won a trophy. East had a couple good years under young Dave. We had our undefeated year in 1972 and good teams in between then especially 1967, 70, and 77. Starmount was always stubborn before Holt got there, South Stokes won 2 conference titles as well even Madison Mayodan was good in the 80's. NW wasn't an easy repeat conference then. His 80's runs in 2A were solid too.

Dave did well and doesn't get enough credit in the early 90's. Take Starmount away and they woulda been the standardbearer 2A team then. That 94 team was pretty solid.

Holder's and Adkins's #'s speaks for theirselves.

 

[ocdavis31]

Alex Gibbs (1966-68) would be on this list but he went to Duke as a DB Coach for '69 season. He also coached at Kentucky, W Virginia, Ohio State, Auburn & Georgia. Then coached for SB Champs Denver Broncos (twice), Raiders, Chargers, Colts, Chiefs, Falcons, Texans and Seahawks. He retired from the NFL in 2013. Coach passed away in July 2021. He was "hard core" but his players loved him. We won a State Championship during his tenure.

Best MA Coach: Hollingsworth

Spoke to Alex’s brother tonight. He was gratified to hear that Alex was still highly thought of by the Mount Airy faithful and said Alex really enjoyed his time there.