By 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.
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.
McAnally had worked in sales the previous 20 years before he began teaching and coaching.
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.
McAnally also noted the help of his wife Sharon.
While attending AUM in Montgomery, McAnally interned at Brewton Middle School for Alan Ash.
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.
Just last week, McAnally led his middle school football team to a perfect undefeated season with a 7-0 record.
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’.
McAnally said he loves teaching and coaching.