Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Called for a purpose
 |
| McAnally |
McAnally leads Brewton Middle School to 7-0 season
By Adam Robinson
sports editor
A former coach and a minister’s sermon helped inspire Gerald McAnally to pursue teaching and coaching.
After he was the first person in his immediate family to graduate from high school in 1984, it took McAnally a little longer to find out what his call in life would be. But it was not until a change in his life occurred and one minister’s sermon that things took a turn.
“I was born in Atmore, went to school there and graduated in 1984 from Escambia Academy,” McAnally said. “At that time of graduation, college was not at option because of finances.”
McAnally married at 19 and became a father to his son, Michael, at the age of 21. Five years later, McAnally said God blessed him with his second son, Caleb.
After being married for 17 years, his marriage ended.
But while his marriage had ended, it was then McAnally began to chase his dream.
“I decided at that time I was going to pursue my dream of being a teacher and a coach,” McAnally said. “I knew I wanted to teach because my high school football coach Teddy Taylor (current head coach at Millry) had made such an impact on my life. I wanted to do the same for some young person. I had heard a sermon by a minister once and something he said really stuck with me. He said, ‘It matters not that you live here on this earth, but when you are gone did it truly make a difference because you did live.’”
McAnally had worked in sales the previous 20 years before he began teaching and coaching.
“I started college at Jefferson Davis Junior College in January of 2001 and it took me three years to finish my associate’s degree,” McAnally said. “During this time period I worked a full-time job, had a lawn maintenance service on the side and attended two classes each semester.”
While going to school, McAnally was a single dad, but soon he met and married his wife Sharon. “That was one of the best things that has ever happened to me, next to the birth of my boys,” McAnally said.
McAnally went on to finish school and graduated from JDCC with a 3.76 GPA. He then applied for the Neal Trust scholarship to attend AUM to finish his degree in education.
“I really appreciate the opportunity Mr. Pete Davis and the Neal Trust foundation gave me,” McAnally said. “Had it not been for them I would not been financially able to achieve my dream.”
McAnally also noted the help of his wife Sharon.
“Sharon was also a huge help while I attended school,” he said. “There was a time during the last year when I was only able to work part time while going to school. Sharon worked a full time job and two part time jobs to help make ends meet. I am so indebted to her for her sacrifices.”
While attending AUM in Montgomery, McAnally interned at Brewton Middle School for Alan Ash.
“I really enjoyed it and I knew that’s where I wanted to teach and coach,” McAnally said. “My first year of teaching was in Conecuh County at Repton Junior High School, where I also coached high school football at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen. I knew that if there was any way possible I wanted to get back to Brewton and teach and coach in for the Brewton City School system.”
While McAnally was student teaching, Ash told him that he was going to retire in a couple of years, and if he wanted to come back he would do what he could to help.
And as they say, the rest is history.
McAnally began teaching in Brewton in 2007 and teaches eighth grade social studies along with being head coach of the Brewton Middle School football team. He also serves as assistant head track coach at T.R. Miller High School.
Last season, McAnally was able to coach on the class 3A boys state championship Tiger track team and runner-up girls team.
“Winning the state championship in track last year was an unbelievable feeling of accomplishment,” McAnally said. “After losing a heartbreaker in football in the semifinals last year, to win the state in track was special. I had told (former T.R. Miller student) Mabry Cook and several other football players that we had some unfinished business to take care of last year before they graduated. Winning the state in track closed out a great year on a winning note.”
Just last week, McAnally led his middle school football team to a perfect undefeated season with a 7-0 record.
“My two previous seasons at BMS, I compiled a record of six wins and seven loses, and to win seven games this year was overwhelming,” McAnally said. “This group of kids really bonded together and did whatever it took to win. Two years ago I had 60 kids out, last year I had 52, and this year we only had 35. There were several schools that had more kids than we did this year, but nobody played with any more intensity and effort than this group. There are not many coaches who can say they had a perfect season and were undefeated. I am truly blessed to be part of that group.”
McAnally’s youngest son, Caleb, is a sophomore on the Tiger football team at T.R. Miller.
McAnally said he wanted Caleb to have the experience of attending school in a community such as Brewton where the support for academics and athletics is ‘unbelievable’.
“I wanted him to play football for coach Riggs at T.R. Miller,” he said. “I also realized that it would be a great place to teach and coach and to be a small part of such a great program. It is an awesome feeling to be on the sidelines on Friday nights in the fall at T.R. Miller and to watch your son put on that jersey with only one name on the back— T.R. Miller. I tell him all the time what a great opportunity he has to go to school and play sports at a high school with such a tradition in excellence. I only wish my oldest son Michael would have had the same opportunity Caleb has. He was a good football player starting all four years at Atmore, but he also had five head coaches in four years.”
McAnally said he loves teaching and coaching.
“It is an awesome job to have. I don’t know of anything that I don’t like about my job,” McAnally said. “I don’t even think of it as work, because it is only work if you would rather be doing something else. As I look back over the past several years I have truly been blessed beyond measure. I am firm believer in Romans 8:28 that says ‘All things work together for good of them that love God and are called according to his purpose.’ I am so proud to be a Miller Tiger.”
After he was the first person in his immediate family to graduate from high school in 1984, it took McAnally a little longer to find out what his call in life would be. But it was not until a change in his life occurred and one minister’s sermon that things took a turn.
“I was born in Atmore, went to school there and graduated in 1984 from Escambia Academy,” McAnally said. “At that time of graduation, college was not at option because of finances.”
McAnally married at 19 and became a father to his son, Michael, at the age of 21. Five years later, McAnally said God blessed him with his second son, Caleb.
After being married for 17 years, his marriage ended.
But while his marriage had ended, it was then McAnally began to chase his dream.
“I decided at that time I was going to pursue my dream of being a teacher and a coach,” McAnally said. “I knew I wanted to teach because my high school football coach Teddy Taylor (current head coach at Millry) had made such an impact on my life. I wanted to do the same for some young person. I had heard a sermon by a minister once and something he said really stuck with me. He said, ‘It matters not that you live here on this earth, but when you are gone did it truly make a difference because you did live.’”
McAnally had worked in sales the previous 20 years before he began teaching and coaching.
“I started college at Jefferson Davis Junior College in January of 2001 and it took me three years to finish my associate’s degree,” McAnally said. “During this time period I worked a full-time job, had a lawn maintenance service on the side and attended two classes each semester.”
While going to school, McAnally was a single dad, but soon he met and married his wife Sharon. “That was one of the best things that has ever happened to me, next to the birth of my boys,” McAnally said.
McAnally went on to finish school and graduated from JDCC with a 3.76 GPA. He then applied for the Neal Trust scholarship to attend AUM to finish his degree in education.
“I really appreciate the opportunity Mr. Pete Davis and the Neal Trust foundation gave me,” McAnally said. “Had it not been for them I would not been financially able to achieve my dream.”
McAnally also noted the help of his wife Sharon.
“Sharon was also a huge help while I attended school,” he said. “There was a time during the last year when I was only able to work part time while going to school. Sharon worked a full time job and two part time jobs to help make ends meet. I am so indebted to her for her sacrifices.”
While attending AUM in Montgomery, McAnally interned at Brewton Middle School for Alan Ash.
“I really enjoyed it and I knew that’s where I wanted to teach and coach,” McAnally said. “My first year of teaching was in Conecuh County at Repton Junior High School, where I also coached high school football at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen. I knew that if there was any way possible I wanted to get back to Brewton and teach and coach in for the Brewton City School system.”
While McAnally was student teaching, Ash told him that he was going to retire in a couple of years, and if he wanted to come back he would do what he could to help.
And as they say, the rest is history.
McAnally began teaching in Brewton in 2007 and teaches eighth grade social studies along with being head coach of the Brewton Middle School football team. He also serves as assistant head track coach at T.R. Miller High School.
Last season, McAnally was able to coach on the class 3A boys state championship Tiger track team and runner-up girls team.
“Winning the state championship in track last year was an unbelievable feeling of accomplishment,” McAnally said. “After losing a heartbreaker in football in the semifinals last year, to win the state in track was special. I had told (former T.R. Miller student) Mabry Cook and several other football players that we had some unfinished business to take care of last year before they graduated. Winning the state in track closed out a great year on a winning note.”
Just last week, McAnally led his middle school football team to a perfect undefeated season with a 7-0 record.
“My two previous seasons at BMS, I compiled a record of six wins and seven loses, and to win seven games this year was overwhelming,” McAnally said. “This group of kids really bonded together and did whatever it took to win. Two years ago I had 60 kids out, last year I had 52, and this year we only had 35. There were several schools that had more kids than we did this year, but nobody played with any more intensity and effort than this group. There are not many coaches who can say they had a perfect season and were undefeated. I am truly blessed to be part of that group.”
McAnally’s youngest son, Caleb, is a sophomore on the Tiger football team at T.R. Miller.
McAnally said he wanted Caleb to have the experience of attending school in a community such as Brewton where the support for academics and athletics is ‘unbelievable’.
“I wanted him to play football for coach Riggs at T.R. Miller,” he said. “I also realized that it would be a great place to teach and coach and to be a small part of such a great program. It is an awesome feeling to be on the sidelines on Friday nights in the fall at T.R. Miller and to watch your son put on that jersey with only one name on the back— T.R. Miller. I tell him all the time what a great opportunity he has to go to school and play sports at a high school with such a tradition in excellence. I only wish my oldest son Michael would have had the same opportunity Caleb has. He was a good football player starting all four years at Atmore, but he also had five head coaches in four years.”
McAnally said he loves teaching and coaching.
“It is an awesome job to have. I don’t know of anything that I don’t like about my job,” McAnally said. “I don’t even think of it as work, because it is only work if you would rather be doing something else. As I look back over the past several years I have truly been blessed beyond measure. I am firm believer in Romans 8:28 that says ‘All things work together for good of them that love God and are called according to his purpose.’ I am so proud to be a Miller Tiger.”
 |
 |
|
| Two in a row | ON TAP |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of brewtonstandard.com.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
