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revised 8/09/09 for staff positions
STEVE PARDUE
Varsity Head Coach / Assistant Athletic
Director / Running Back Coach
• Hometown: Hopkinsville,
Kentucky
• Education: B.S. in
Physical Education / Health from Austin Peay State University
in Clarksville, TN
M.Ed. in Physical Education from West
Georgia College
• School System Position:
Coach Pardue teaches Advanced Physical Conditioning
at LaGrange High School.
• College Sports Experience:
3-year letterman in football at Austin Peay
State University
• Coaching Experience:
1985 - Fayette County High School
(Fayetteville, GA) - Offensive Line
1986 - Albertville (AL) High School -
Offensive and Defensive Lines
1987 - 1990 - Crittenden County High
School (Marion, KY) - Head Coach
1991 - Present - LaGrange High School
- Outside Linebackers (1991),
Offensive Line (1992), Defensive
Coordinator (1993),
Head Coach (1994 -Present)
• Record as Head Coach:
Coach Pardue came to LaGrange High School in 1991 as an assistant coach for
the State and USA Today National Championship team. He became head
coach of the Grangers in 1994, and over the past fifteen years has amassed a
record of 148 wins and 36 losses (103-19 in region competition), eight
region championships, and three state championships. He and his staff have
received the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association (GACA) Region Coach of the
Year honors eight times - in 2006, five consecutive times from 2000 through
2004, and for the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Coach Pardue was awarded the 2003
Touchdown Club of Atlanta’s Bazemore Award for All-Classification Coach of
the Year. In 2001, 2003, and 2004, he received numerous honors including
the Atlanta Journal AAA Coach of the Year, Georgia Sports Writers AAA Coach
of the Year, GACA - AAA Coach of the Year, and Touchdown Club of Atlanta AAA
Coach of the Year. During the summer of 2000, he was an assistant coach for
the victorious Georgia team in the Georgia / Florida All-Star Game. In
addition to his many coaching honors, Coach Pardue is recognized as an
outstanding educator and was selected as the 2006 STAR Teacher at LaGrange
High School. He also currently serves as the State Football Chairman on the
Board of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association.
• Family:
Coach Pardue's
wife is the former Pamela Bennett of Goodlettsville, TN. Pam is employed at
Hollis Hand Elementary as a fifth grade teacher. They have a daughter and a
son. Morgan, 20, is a 2007 LHS graduate now studying nursing at LaGrange
College. Future Granger Chas is 13. |
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DONNIE BRANCH
Varsity Defensive Coordinator I
Defensive Line Coach
Hometown: Anniston, Alabama
Education: B.S. in Health and Physical Education from University of
North Alabama
M.Ed. in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation from Troy State
University
School System Position: Coach Branch is the In-School Suspension Lead
Teacher at LaGrange High School.
College Sports Experience: 4-year letterman in baseball
Coaching Experience:
1984 - 1986 - Wheeler County High School (Alamo, GA)
1986 - Present - LaGrange High School
Other Coaching Responsibilities at LHS: Head Coach of the Varsity
Baseball Team. Coach Branch’s teams have won numerous region championships
and the 2004 AAA State Championship.
Family: Coach Branch is married to the former Angie McElroy of
Arab, AL. Angie teaches first grade at Franklin Forest Elementary. Their
son, Derek, 21, is a junior at Columbus State University, and their
daughter, Allison, 16, is an LHS junior and member of the varsity tennis
team |
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DAVID TRAYLOR
Varsity Offensive Coordinator I
Quarterback Coach
Hometown: Athens, Georgia
Education: B.A. in Sociology from Washington and Lee University
M.Ed. in Secondary Social Studies from West Georgia College
Ed.S. in Counseling from State University of West Georgia
School System Position: Coach Traylor is a Counselor at LaGrange High School.
College Sports Experience:
Lettered in football (1 year) and baseball (4years)
Coaching Experience:
1978 - Clinch County High School (Homerville, GA)
1978 - 1980 - Cook County High School (Adel, GA)
1980 - 1982 - Wheeler County High School (Alamo, GA)
1982 - Present - LaGrange High School
Other Coaching Responsibilities at LHS:
Assistant Varsity Tennis Coach
Family:
Coach Traylor's wife, Sally Nichols Traylor, is a LaGrange native and former
LHS Majorette. Their son Tommy, 22, a senior at Auburn University and
former Granger kicker, is the sideline reporter for Granger radio
broadcasts. Their
daughter Angelyn, 18, a 2009 LHS graduate and also a former LHS Majorette,
is a freshman at Auburn. |
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JAMIE BOZEMAN
Varsity Inside Linebacker Coach
Hometown: Moultrie, Georgia
Education: Snead State Community College
B.S. in Social Studies Education from Auburn University
M. Ed. in Educational Leadership from Troy University
School System Position: Coach Bozeman serves as the Department Chair and
teaches in the Social Studies Department at LHS.
College Sports Experience: Member of National Championship Co-ed Cheering Squad
at Snead State Community College.
Coaching Experience:
2002 - Present - LaGrange High School
Family: Coach Bozeman is married to the former Sabrina Rhoden of Boaz, Alabama.
She is a Speech and Language Pathologist at Franklin Forest Elementary. The
Bozeman’s daughter, Madalyn, is six years old, and their son, Jackson, is
two years old.
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DAVID PLEASANTS
Varsity Offensive Line Coach
Hometown: Riverdale, Georgia
Education: East Central Mississippi Junior College
B.S. in Social Science from West Georgia College
M.Ed. in Social Science from West Georgia College
M.Ed. in Administration from Jacksonville State University
Ed.S. in
Educational Leadership from Troy University
School System Position: Coach Pleasants teaches in the Social Studies
Department at LHS.
College Sports Experience: Played football and golf, was named to the Academic
All-Gulf South Conference Football Team in 1986, and received the Male
Academic Athlete of the Year Award in 1987.
Coaching Experience:
1987 - 1988 - West Georgia College - Graduate Assistant
1988 - 1993 - LaGrange High School
1994 - 1998 - Rome High School
1999 - Peach County High School
2000 - 2001- Rockmart High School
2002 - Present - LaGrange High School
Other Coaching Responsibilities at LHS:
Golf Coach
Family: Coach Pleasants’ wife, the former Catherine Dukes, is a LaGrange native
and LHS graduate. She is employed as a counselor at LaGrange High School.
Their daughter, Kennedy, is 12, and their son, Jack David, is 9. |
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PAUL PICKETT
Varsity Defensive Back Coach
Hometown: Enterprise, Alabama
Education:
B.S. in Secondary Education – History/Biology from University of Alabama
M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from University of Alabama
School System Position:
Coach Pickett teaches World History at LHS.
College Sports Experience:
Coach Pickett played football at Alabama, and in 1997, he was named Team
Captain and was selected for the Academic AII-SEC Team.
Coaching Experience:
2001 - 2002 - Fairhope (AL) High School
2002 - 2003 - Callaway High School (LaGrange)
2003 - LaGrange High School
Granger Trivia: Coach Pickett, a former Granger, was a junior on the 1991
State and National Championship Team. His father, Coach Sam Pickett, was the
defensive back coach for the Grangers at that time. Paul graduated from LHS
in 1993.
Family: Coach Pickett is married to the former Christine Miller of Fairhope,
Alabama. She is an enrichment teacher at Franklin Forest Elementary School.
The Picketts have two daughters: Miller is five years old, and Lofton is two
years old |
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TODD HERRINGTON
Varsity Receiver Coach
Hometown: LaGrange
Education: B.S. in English from LaGrange College
School System Position: Coach Herrington teaches in the English Department
at LaGrange High School.
College Sports Experience: Played baseball at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural
College and LaGrange College
Coaching Experience:
1996 - LaGrange High School - Community Coach
1997 - 1998 - Newnan High School
1999 - Present - LaGrange High School
Other Coaching Responsibilities at LHS:
Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach
Family:
Coach Herrington is
married to the former Cappie Morrison of Newnan, a
kindergarten teacher at Franklin Forest Elementary. The Herrington’s
daughter, Mary Ansley,
is three years old.
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CLAUDE GIDDENS
Varsity
Tight End Coach
Hometown: Greenville,AL
Education:B.S.
in Physical Education from Troy State University
M.Ed. in Physical Education
from University of South Alabama
School System Position:
Coach Giddens teaches Physical Education at Franklin Forest ElementarySchool
Coaching
Experience:
1983 - 1988 - Troup High School
1989 - 1990 - Cartersville (GA) High School
1990 - 1996 - Troup High School
1996 - 2000 - Highland Home (AL) High School – Head Coach
2001 - LaGrange High School
2002 - 2004 - Callaway High School – Head
Coach
2005 - Present – LaGrange High School
Family:
Coach
Giddens is married to the former Denise Pruitt, a LaGrange native and
teacher at Franklin Forest Elementary School. Their two children are
Whitley, 17, a senior Granger Cheerleader, and Zach, age 14.
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JASON WILLIS
Varsity Outside Linebacker Coach
Hometown: LaGrange, Georgia
Education: Central Alabama Community College
B.S. in Middle School Education from LaGrange College
School System Position: Coach Willis teaches fourth grade at Berta
Weathersbee Elementary.
College Sports Experience: Played baseball at Central Alabama Community College
and LaGrange College.
Coaching Experience: 2002 - Present - LaGrange High School
Other Coaching Responsibilities at LHS:
Head Coach – JV Baseball
Family: Coach Willis
is married to the former Katie Bush, a LaGrange native who also teaches at
Berta Weathersbee Elementary. Their son, Brady, celebrated his first
birthday on August 25th. |
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JAY RUSSELL
Athletic Director I Head
Ninth Grade Coach
Hometown: Athens, Georgia
Education: B.S. in Education from University of Georgia
M.Ed. in Education from University of Georgia
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Georgia Southern University
College Sports Experience: 3-year letterman at University of Georgia
Coaching Experience:
1983 - 1984 - Barnesville Academy - Athletic Director I Head Football
and Baseball Coach
1985 - 1991 - Georgia Southern University - Assistant Football Coach
1992 - 1993 - Rabun County High School - Athletic Director I Head
Football Coach
1994 - 1998 - Stephens County High School - Athletic Director I Head
Football Coach
1999 - 2000 - Gordon Central High School - Athletic Director I Head
Football Coach 2000 - Georgia / Florida All-Star Game Coaching Staff
Overall record as a head varsity coach: 70 –37
2000 - Present - LaGrange High School - Athletic Director
2002 - 2003 - President of the Georgia Athletic Directors Association
2003 - Present - LaGrange High School - Head Ninth Grade Coach
Family:
Coach Russell is
married to the former Ida Hudson of LaGrange. Their family also includes
five children: Mandy, 26; Davis, 24; Murphy, 19; Henry, 17; and Fred,
14. |
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CAL HYERS
Ninth Grade Assistant Coach
Hometown: Waycross, Georgia
Education: B.S. in Health and Physical Education from Georgia Southern
College
School System Position: Coach Hyers is the Physical Education Specialist at
Unity Elementary.
College Sports Experience: Played with the Georgia Southern Rugby Club
Coaching Experience:
1986 - 1999 - Ware County High School (Waycross, GA)
2003 - LaGrange High School
Family: Coach Hyers is married to the former Jill Sprague of Roanoke, Alabama.
Jill teaches English at LaGrange High School. They have a son and a
daughter: Lew, age 13, and Meg, age 10. |
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TRAVIS HART
Ninth Grade Assistant Coach
Hometown: LaGrange, Georgia
Education:
2005 Graduate of LaGrange High School
Eastern Kentucky University
Sports Experience: Coach Hart was a three-year letterman at LHS and
played on the 2001, 2003, and 2004 State Championship football teams. He
also was a two-year letterman in football at Eastern Kentucky.
Coaching Experience:
2008 - Present – LaGrange High School
Other Coaching Responsibilities at LHS: Boys’ Track and Field Coach
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LEE PHELPS
Ninth Grade Assistant Coach
Hometown: LaGrange, Georgia
Education:
B.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education from Auburn University
M.Ed. in Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment from Walden University
School System Position:
Coach Phelps teaches Math at LaGrange High School.
Coaching Experience:
2003 - 2009 - Starrs Mill High School
Family: Coach Phelps is married to the former Leisha Pitcher of Franklin, TN. They have a 16 month old daughter, Halle Reese.
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DARREN GRAVAT
Head Athletic Trainer
Hometown: Whidbey Island, Washington
Education: B.G.S. in Athletic Training and History / Secondary
Education from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA
School System Position: Mr. Gravat teaches Social Studies at LaGrange High
School.
College Sports Experience: Served as Student Trainer for 4 1/2 years at James
Madison University.
Experience as Athletic Trainer:
1991 - 1995 - Potomac High School (Prince William County, VA) - Head
Athletic Trainer
1995 - Present - LaGrange High School
Other Responsibilities at LHS:
In addition to his football responsibilities, Mr. Gravat serves as the Head
Athletic Trainer for ALL sports at LHS.
Family: Mr. “G” is
married to the former Jodie McCoy, a native of New Jersey. Their family
includes two daughters: Emily Chancey, age 11, and Rebekah, who is 4 years
old. |
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