PREP FOOTBALL: Poka’s Tate named ALFCA’s Coach of the Year

This year’s version of the Loachapoka football team went further than any of its counterparts during coach Jerome Tate’s 15 years at the helm.

Further, in fact, than any team had in 36 years of Indian football.

And for that, the Alabama Football Coaches Association awarded Tate with its coach of the year honor, the first time the Loachapoka coach has won the award.

It will be presented to Tate at a banquet in Montgomery on Jan. 30.

“It’s from my peers, and it means a heck of a lot more to me than other ones I’ve gotten,” Tate said. “It’s from guys you do battle with Friday night. Some of the guys are your friends, some of the guys you went to school with, some of the guys you played with, some you played against.

“So it means a whole lot to me.”

Tate has compiled a 115-57 lifetime record at Loachapoka, making him by far the winningest coach in Indians history. He’s also closing in on former Smiths
Station coach E.L. Godwin’s record for wins by a Lee County coach (an AHSAA-recognized 125).

Loachapoka compiled an 11-2 record this year and advanced to its first semifinal in school history. It did so by beating three-time defending Class 1A champs Sweet Water — which no other 1A team had beaten since 2005 — on the road in the quarterfinals.

The Indians finished the season ranked No. 5 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll, and their two losses came to eventual state champions: Brantley (1A) and Reeltown (2A).

Tate credited Loachapoka’s historic run to his class of 12 seniors.

“I’ve never had a group that was this close and didn’t give the ‘headaches,’” Tate said. “They were good kids, all good kids.

“They spoiled me this year. Not only did they win, they won the right way.”

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