“A Place I Wanted To Be”: Kelvis White Named Head Football Coach At Bob Jones
MADISON- Bob Jones has a new head football coach. Kelvis White was named to his new position at the Feb. 14 meeting of the Madison City Schools Board. The 42-year old White comes to the Patriots’ program after four years at Huntsville’s Mae Jemsion where his teams compiled a 25-20 record with four consecutive playoff appearances.
“This is a great opportunity with a school with its great history and success and a big move up for me with the program being in Class 7A,” said White. “When the vacancy came open I thought about it as I was in a good position at Jemison, but at the end of the day I knew it was a better situation and Bob Jones was a place I wanted to be.”
White is the younger brother by four years to Sparkman head coach Laron White. The two former University of Alabama players are sons of Hall of Fame coach Louis White who made a marvelous career at Courtland High where he won four state championships.
“It’s exciting to know we will be coaching against one another as he’s been my mentor and we used to exchange coaching tips along the way,” said White. “Now it’s going to have to be secrets, but the good thing it’s just one week out of the year.”
Prior to joining the Jaguars program at Mae Jemison, White was head coach at Dothan High for eight seasons compiling a 39-45 mark with five winning seasons and four seasons making the post-season playoffs. His overall head coaching record is 64-65.
White earned his bachelor’s degree from Alabama in 2000 and a masters degree from Montevallo University in 2004. He played offensive and defensive line for the Crimson Tide. At Alabama, he battled through three knee surgeries and had a chance at possibly making the NFL, but those thoughts came to an end after his third surgery. White added, “Having those injuries is what pushed me to coaching and the fact coaching has been in my family all of these years.”
He and his wife, Chris, have two children. His family is fully supportive of his move to Bob Jones and he knows the challenges that are in front of him. Though he’s not moving into a trouble program, the fact is a larger classification will mean more competition and added complications than what’s been used to.
“I will bring a physical style of coaching to Bob Jones. I want our kids and the program to be tough and play hard with great effort,” said White. “If we do those things we have a good chance at being successful.”
He said as far as he knows he was not named after Elvis Presley, but he thinks his mother knew someone with the name Kelvis and she thought it was unique, so she chose to name him with the same name.
Many of the players returning for next season have reached out to their new coach, who said, “They were nervous of the unknown. I may look intimidating and I will push them, but I will love them and support them along the way.”
White will teach physical education at the school and will officially take his new position on the campus of Bob Jones the first week in March.
