It’s Personal: Local Football Coach Relieved Of Duties

Tuscaloosa County High School relieved its head football coach, Chris Bell, of his duties over the weekend.

Get our free mobile app

I always feel the impact of these coach dismissals as I grew up as the son of a high school football coach. It’s never easy for the players, the coach, or his family.

Tuscaloosa County High football, once the pride of the Northport area community, has certainly struggled.

A Facebook post by County High faculty member Joe Will Field caught my eye. The points are well made and worth a read.

Joe Will Field posted, “He knew before the game started, yet he kept his composure. I watched him smile when he got to see his boys celebrate one last time. I watched him soak it in. I watched him listen to the Alma Mater as the tears started to form in his eyes. I watched as he told the players to keep pizza off the bus one last time. I knew, he knew, but the players didn’t.
I can’t speak for what happened behind the scenes because I was not there. But I can and will speak for all of the Friday nights that I photographed his team. He loves those kids, and he is a beautiful human being.
I’m not writing this for me; I’m writing this because I think I’m the only person who was there that can put it into words.  I’ve debated saying this for the sake of keeping my social media presence professional; however, I see no harm in defending Coach Bell’s reputation. I’m not questioning the decisions of administration because I have zero experience in running an athletic program. I trust the people I work for, and I think the world of them as well. The Northport community has to come together for the next coach, or he will have the same fate. Thompson’s coach doesn’t actively find transfer kids all year; the rich parents and local businesses do. The most support I ever saw for Coach Bell’s program was a truck bed full of propel packets.”

So to restate the obvious, a new head coach at County High won’t be enough. The Northport community does indeed have to come together to support and change the climate surrounding the TCHS football program. If they don’t, then nothing will change with a new head coach.