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Hugh Fountain’s playbook turned the final page on Monday. W.S. Neal High School’s head football coach died at the age of 61 following a brief battle with cancer.
Just one week ago, students and faculty at the East Brewton school gathered to form a prayer circle as Fountain made the journey to a Houston, Tex., medical facility to begin treatment for cancer.
Fountain, a 1982 graduate of W.S. Neal High School, became a coach at multiple schools putting together a football record unmatched in the state.
Fountain began his coaching career at Evergreen High School in 1988 returning to W.S. Neal in 1989. He would remain on the East Brewton camps until 1996 when he moved to Charles Henderson High School in Troy.
Fountain returned to Escambia County in 2012 to take on the head coach position at Escambia Academy near Atmore. He would become the school’s headmaster as well until his departure in 2021. While at EA, Fountain lead the team to AISA titles in 2014 and 2017.
Fountain returned to his Alma Mater in 2022 taking over the head coach position at WSN.
During his 37 years of coaching, Fountain amassed 271 game wins.
In addition to being one of Alabama’s winningest coaches, Fountain would be revered as a mentor and father-figure for many of the students he made contact with on a day-to-day basis.
A social media post about Fountain’s passing made by Lynn Rogers-Stallworth summed up the coach’s legacy.
“Some coaches leave a mark on the field, but Coach Hugh Fountain left a mark on our hearts,” Rogers-Stallworth wrote. “He wasn’t just about winning games—he was about winning souls. He didn’t see color, and politics didn’t matter. He was true to the kids, the fans, and Eagle Nation.
“Coach Fountain believed in more than just football; he believed in people. He was a mentor, a leader, and a man of unwavering faith. His impact went far beyond Friday nights under the lights—he shaped young men into better sons, fathers, and community leaders.”
Along with coaching duties, Fountain was also active in ministry becoming an ordained minister in May 2022. His ministry included speaking engagements for youth and adults around Escambia County.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time and will be announced by Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.