Alex Rawls has a mission as the athletics director for all the sports programs at J.Z. George High School.
"We are establishing a culture that leads to success in all our sports," Rawls said. "Obviously, Coach (Ben) Burton (head football coach) and I have had plenty of time to discuss the direction of his program, and I plan to meet with the other coaches in each sport and talk to them and preach the same message about what we are doing at J.Z. George," said Rawls, who is in his second year as the athletic director at the school.
Rawls also serves as assistant principal and will be Burton's defensive coordinator for the 2018 season, which kicks off Aug. 17 at home against Okolona.
"We had a good bit of turnover this year with our coaches. Counting myself, we have three new coaches on the football staff. We also have a new basketball coach, who will coach both girls and boys," said Rawls. "We understand people leave, but we don't want to see a drop off in our programs if a coach does leave.
"Each one of us coaches is blessed to be working with such fine young kids at J.Z. George. We want to instill in these kids a good work ethic and to buy into the culture that we are trying to create here. Playing sports gives them an opportunity to express these things."
Burton is entering his fifth season as the head football coach. Joining him on his staff are Rawls, Marshall Guess, Will Rodgers, Douglas Butts and Hal Haney. Guess is a former player at J.Z. George, and Haney, who previously was on staff at Greenwood High School, is joining the Jaguars as strength/conditioning coach and as a defensive assistant.
Rodgers is in his third year at the school. He was over the track program last year, but will take over the base baseball team in the spring from Wylie Rhodes, who is no longer at J.Z. George. Butts will be his assistant with the baseball team.
Two spots Rawls had to fill was for girls and boys basketball. Kenisha Henry, who coached the girls last season, left for a graduate assistant job at Central Arkansas. She played at J.Z. George and led them to a semifinal appearance in the State 2A Tournament in her senior year, and then spent four years at Delta State University before returning to North Carrollton. Jonathan Childs has moved on from the boys basketball position to Eupora High School.
Torrey Dale has been brought in from Durant High School and will coach both the girls and boys basketball teams. He will also serve as the head track coach in the spring. He has previously coached at West Lowndes and Charleston.
Guess will handle the cross-country team, which competes in events during the fall season.
J.Z. George also fields a girls fast-pitch softball team that plays in the spring. Jamie Tucker is the assistant coach, and Rawls said he will be naming a head coach by the time school begins.
"We are looking for coaches who are highly organized and have a system in place no matter what sport they coach," Rawls added. "We are always evaluating our sports programs and looking for ways to improve. We want our coaches and players to understand they represent their fathers, their mothers, the school district and Carroll County when they are on and off the field or court."
