AVON — Sitting in the library at Riverside High School Monday afternoon after being announced the new head football coach of the Bulldogs, Adrian Agee made it clear he intends to win by doing things the right way.
“I want to come in and teach these young men about life skills,” Agee said. “I am a firm believer that before you win any ball games, you have to teach them about life in general because it is about what they do when they leave here that really matters. My job is to help them become successful men.”
This is Agee’s first opportunity to be a head football coach. Agee, 37, is a native of Taylorsville who played college football at Delta State and West Alabama. Last year, he was co-defensive coordinator at Bay Springs. Before that, he spent three years coaching at Newton High School.
Agee played linebacker in both high school and college. He plans to teach this tough-minded approach to his new team. It is a philosophy based on hard work and no shortcuts.
“Not to sound overly cocky, but I am a winner,” the new coach said.
“Once we start doing things the right way, then good things will happen. I am firm and fair. The kids first need to know that we care for them. They are going to be loved. They are going to be respected. I always go by the 1-0 mentality. We want to be 1-0 everyday. When they get off the bus, we want to win. That means we are going to start in the classroom. We are going to win in the classroom, and when you start there you are going to win on the football field.”
Agee comes to Avon with a grateful but heavy heart after he lost his mother in January.
“I wish she could see this today. We always prayed about this day. But I know she is looking out for me from above.
“I am thankful that my father is still with me because he gave me my competitive edge. He never missed a ball game when I was a little kid, and he has come with me at every stop and every game. He taught me how to get a little bit better everyday.
“That is what I still try to do.”
