The Thomasville City Board of Education approved Jan. 24 the removal of the “interim” title from the position of Thomasville High School Head Football Coach Clint Anderson.
Anderson was named as interim head football coach in June 2022. The football team earned a 9-4 record and reached the third round of the state playoffs.
He also serves as head baseball coach. The 2022 THS baseball varsity team also had a successful season, reaching the fourth round of the state playoffs. There are students who play on both the baseball and football teams.
With limited spring practice and no spring jamboree, Anderson and his coaching staff had to make up for lost time to prepare for the 2022 football season. “We had a short amount of time to install what we were doing on offense,” he said. “The key to the season evolved around the seniors buying in to what we were doing…being motivated and being accountable.”
The success of the season came from the players’ familiarity with Anderson and his expectations. Anderson had last worked with some of the players for the 2020 football season. “There was a little bit of a foundation there to build off of,” he said. “The coaches on the staff – we had all worked together. The players knew them as well. They (the students) knew that their position coach had their best interest at heart.” Those relationships made for a positive environment, the coach said.
Anderson has a knack for attracting students to his football and baseball programs. “I care about them,” he said. “I just want to see them be successful. I’m from here. This is the only place I’ve ever coached (except for a short stint at St. Paul’s during college).
“I want to make it about them (the students). At the end of the day, it’s their memories – the thing they look back on. …When you have class reunions you talk about those things.”
Other personnel actions approved by the board on Jan. 24 include:
(employment in positions)
Tiajuana Campbell, Parent Liaison at TES;
Allison Henderson, Custodian at TES;
Shawanda Browder, Substitute Bus Driver.
In other action from the board meeting, Anjelica Gibson, Chief School Financial Officer, gave the financial report for Dec. 2022. Payroll totaled $971,316.36, and accounts payable totaled $321,125.58.
• January is School Board Member Recognition Month, and the administration from each campus brought gifts for board members in appreciation of their service.
• The following field trips were approved:
Overnight field trips for the THS wrestling team to the Sectionals tournament Feb. 10 and 11 in Montgomery and the State Championship Feb. 17 and 18 in Huntsville;
Overnight field trip for the THS Drama program Feb. 17-19 to the Thespian Festival in Birmingham.
• The school board approved a revision to the Parent/Student Handbook in regard to an Administrative Response to a Class II Offense.
• Vickie Morris, Thomasville City School Superintendent, announced that TMS had received a $25,000 computer programming initiative grant. She thanked Elizabeth Ledkins and Nicole Knight for securing the grant.
• The next meeting of the school board will be held at 5 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the THS Library. The Teacher of the Year and the Support Personnel of the Year from each campus will be recognized.
(Photo of coach Clint Anderson by Adam Sparks)