By Andrew Edwards
Elmore/Autauga News
Community members, former Prattville High School football players, and friends and family of the Lions’ new Head Football Coach JB Wallace gathered at the North Highland Community Center on Sunday afternoon to welcome the coach.
Wallace is not a new face to the program, serving as defensive coordinator under former Prattville coaches Jamey Dubose and Caleb Ross. Lions’ Athletic Director Martin Jackson said that the decision to hire Wallace goes back to their playing days for PHS.
“Your character is what you do and how you act when no one is watching you – or at least when you think no one is watching you. Jason used to come up to the school back in 96’ to work on handoffs and to put the extra practice in when no one else told him to,” Jackson said. “He also worked in the concession stand at Marbury as the head coach of their football team because it was something that needed to be done. That kind of work ethic and effort is something that we are looking for here.”
Wallace spoke before the crowd, explaining to them the importance that coaching has on his life.
“Yes, I am a football coach, but I’m called to do what I do. Some guys coach because it’s fun and it puts food on the table, but I’m here to help shape the lives of the these young men in a positive way,” Wallace said.
As head football coach, Wallace plans on bringing respect to the Prattville name.
“Everybody knows Prattville, or at least everybody should know that name. My vision is that Prattville is a place that’s respected again. And not saying that we’re not now, but there should be a certain type of respect that people should have when they hear that Prattville is coming to play in their town,” Wallace said.
Wallace hopes to bring excitement to a football team that has such a rich history. He says that, under his regime, Friday nights for everyone should involve watching Prattville play on the gridiron.
“Friday nights for you all, it shouldn’t be a question where you are going to be. I want people to start planning their schedule to be at the stadium on that night,” Wallace said.
But how will Prattville achieve the type of success that will draw in crowds of that magnitude?
Wallace says that it will start off the field.
“We want to win and have successful athletes on our team. But I don’t want to produce just football players. I want to produce men that give back to the community as well,” Wallace explained.
“We’re also going to heavily focus on academics. I could maybe count on one hand the times that I’ve ever had to tell a kid that they didn’t have the opportunity to do something because they didn’t have the grades. I want these kids to play well on Fridays, and to enjoy doing it – while still making good grades.”
Wallace believes that it’s imperative that the school starts Spring camp as soon as possible. Currently, May 10th is the targeted started date.
“We need to get out there and get those guys working to hold the standard that we want to hold. It starts now, not in August when we play the first game of the season,” Wallace said.
Prattville is scheduled to play at Wetumpka on August 20th for their season opener.
