By Scott Nickerson
Elmore/Autauga News
Justin Jones was hired as Head Baseball Coach at Edgewood Academy in May 2019. Prior to taking over the baseball program for the Wildcats of the Alabama Independent School Association, the Millbrook native had a series of impressive accomplishments as a player and coach in the area.
The SEHS alum was a part of the first, and only, Mustang baseball team to ever win a State Championship. During the state championship season in 2006, the junior hit .402 with three home runs, 40 RBIs, and 37 runs scored. Jones was selected to the All-Metro team and was named a Top 100 underclassman.
As a senior, Jones continued his impressive play, batting .300 with four home runs, 21 RBIs, and 25 runs scored. He was named an East-West All Star, a North-South All Star, and All State Honorable Mention.
Following graduation, Jones played two seasons for Auburn University, and had a career batting average of .333. Jones transferred to Faulkner and was the starting centerfield for the first ever Faulkner baseball team to advance to the NAIA World Series.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at Stanhope Elmore in 2017, prior to accepting the head job at Edgewood Academy a couple seasons later. He has also coached American Legion Post 133, which included Drew Baker, who is currently on the Philadelphia Phillies roster. Since being named the head baseball coach for the Wildcats, he has come to appreciate the culture at Edgewood, the quality of student athletes and the freedom that he is given to run the baseball program according to his vision.
As a high school coach, there is no rest for the weary. While watching the Edgewood Academy boys basketball team win the AISA Class 2A State Championship at the Cramton Bowl Complex a few weeks ago, Jones mentioned that several of the kids on the team were expected to celebrate, but then report to the baseball fields on school campus a few hours later to prepare for the first game of the baseball season that was scheduled to start a few days later. “I’m going to have the lights on and we’ll be practicing,” Jones said when revealing his Friday night plans.
Jones describes himself as a player’s coach. “I have the respect of the kids, but I can be intense.” For the 2023 Edgewood Academy team, Jones believes he has a few kids that will be able to play baseball at the next level. His desire for the team is to improve the players in all areas. “My goals for this year’s team are to make a run for State, help my boys mature, become good men, and have fun.”
In the off-season, Jones will continue coaching the sport he loves, leading the Southern Timbers, a travel baseball team composed of athletes from schools around the area. The team will compete in tournaments in Hoover, Panama City Beach, Memphis, Nashville, and possibly Atlanta.
If that wasn’t enough, the Millbrook native, also a husband and father of young children, is a member of the Millbrook City Council. “I decided to run for Millbrook City Council because if you want something to change, you must do it yourself. I always wanted to have a say in the community that my children are being raised. Millbrook is growing, and so are our needs.”
Jones plans to fulfill his term as a member of City Council and see where things go from there. But for now, he is raising a family, leading the baseball program at Edgewood Academy, and serving on the City Council. Jones has a lot on his plate, but those that know the Millbrook resident know that he is the kind of guy that gets things done. We all look forward to seeing what he will accomplish in the future.
