Jimbo Stephenson has reached a milestone in his coaching career. As this season commences, he will begin his 40th year as the head coach of Commerce Middle School’s football team.
Stephenson Begins 40th Season As CMS Head Coach
Stephenson began his coaching tenure in 1973 under none other than Commerce High School’s legendary football coach, Ray Lamb.
“Coach Lamb called me at home right when I was about to start my first teaching job at Benton Elementary,” said Stephenson. “I was actually at Benton during my first three years as a Commerce football coach. The kids at Maysville and Benton came to Commerce instead of Jackson County schools, so my first team was made up of kids from Benton, Maysville and Commerce.”
After three years at Benton, Stephenson eventually landed a job at Commerce Middle School teaching seventh grade English. Since then, Stephenson has taught at every grade level, K-12 during his teaching career, which came to a close last year. This year marks the first that he will not be in the classroom as well as on the field.
A 1968 graduate of Commerce High School, Stephenson has a great passion and undying love for his hometown.
“I’ve never lived anywhere but Commerce,” said Stephenson. “You really can’t find a better small town to grow up in. It’s almost like a private school funded by the state. We have smaller numbers and less behavior problems than most larger schools.”
Stephenson is certainly no stranger to the residents of Commerce. He has worked with or coached almost every notable name in Commerce sports in the last 40 years.
“The first assistant coach I had on the sideline with me in my very first game against Stephens County was Steve Savage, who was in college at Maryville at the time,” said Stephenson. “I can’t even begin to name all of the coaches that have helped me over the over the years.”
Although such records are not kept, Stephenson may have one of the longest middle school coaching careers in the state, or even the nation. Stephenson has had many chances to move up to a high school coaching position, but he has no desire to do so.
“You don’t find many people that want to stay at the middle school level,” said Stephenson. “Most people want to start at the varsity level, but this is where I have always wanted to be. I have a love for coaching that (middle school) age kids.”
Although he keeps his focus on his middle school team, Stephenson never hesitates to lend a hand to the high school coaching staff. He is on the sidelines at every Friday night game and attends as many practices as possible. He has also helped coach varsity receivers and halfbacks and worked with the JV team. Stephenson believes learning from other coaches’ drills and game plans is invaluable.
“Coach Lamb, Savage and Justice have always let me do my own thing,” said Stephenson. “ We work right there with them. In my first few years of coaching, I carried a pad everywhere I went and wrote down exactly what coach Lamb had his players doing. And that’s what I’d make my players do later.”
Stephenson also believes that teaching kids fundamentals at the middle school level is of utmost importance, especially when preparing them for playing time at the next level.
“I’ve never thought that wins and losses were the most important thing at the middle school level,” said Stephenson. “We teach the very same fundamentals that are taught at the high school. We’ve had a bunch of kids that will move up from eighth to ninth grade and start varsity in their first year of high school. It always gives me a lot of pride in thinking, hey, we taught those kids to tackle. What they’ve got when they get up there and start, we’ve given it to them.”
With 40 years of coaching under his belt, Stephenson is sure to have many marks in the wins column, however, his record is a mystery to him.
“As far as how many games I’ve won and lost throughout the years, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t have a clue."
As the beginning of his 40th season creeps closer, Stephenson is chomping at the bit to get started with what he thinks will be a “ very exciting year.”
“There was a very good rec team last year that will have some kids moving into middle school,” said Stephenson. “We also had a good seventh grade class last year that will be returning to play. We are in a new league this year with Jefferson, Banks and other Jackson County schools. It will definitely be a tougher schedule this year, but I think we will hold our own and do pretty well.”
Stephenson may be a veteran coach at this point, but he has no intentions of throwing in the towel on his career anytime soon.
“I still feel like I’m 23-years-old,” said Stephenson. I look in the mirror and see that I’m not, but I’m still just as fired up about this season as I was when I started coaching. I still get a little nervous before the games. Once those feelings go away, I guess that’s when it will be time to give it up.”
Middle school coaches may not typically receive the recognition that high school, college or professional coaches enjoy, but Stephenson may one day be a Commerce legend in his own right. He has built the Commerce Middle School football program from the ground up, and plans on continuing his legacy for years to come.
“They may run me off one day, “ said Stephenson. “But I’m going to keep doing this as long as I still enjoy it and still feel energetic.”
“Coach Lamb called me at home right when I was about to start my first teaching job at Benton Elementary,” said Stephenson. “I was actually at Benton during my first three years as a Commerce football coach. The kids at Maysville and Benton came to Commerce instead of Jackson County schools, so my first team was made up of kids from Benton, Maysville and Commerce.”
After three years at Benton, Stephenson eventually landed a job at Commerce Middle School teaching seventh grade English. Since then, Stephenson has taught at every grade level, K-12 during his teaching career, which came to a close last year. This year marks the first that he will not be in the classroom as well as on the field.
A 1968 graduate of Commerce High School, Stephenson has a great passion and undying love for his hometown.
“I’ve never lived anywhere but Commerce,” said Stephenson. “You really can’t find a better small town to grow up in. It’s almost like a private school funded by the state. We have smaller numbers and less behavior problems than most larger schools.”
Stephenson is certainly no stranger to the residents of Commerce. He has worked with or coached almost every notable name in Commerce sports in the last 40 years.
“The first assistant coach I had on the sideline with me in my very first game against Stephens County was Steve Savage, who was in college at Maryville at the time,” said Stephenson. “I can’t even begin to name all of the coaches that have helped me over the over the years.”
Although such records are not kept, Stephenson may have one of the longest middle school coaching careers in the state, or even the nation. Stephenson has had many chances to move up to a high school coaching position, but he has no desire to do so.
“You don’t find many people that want to stay at the middle school level,” said Stephenson. “Most people want to start at the varsity level, but this is where I have always wanted to be. I have a love for coaching that (middle school) age kids.”
Although he keeps his focus on his middle school team, Stephenson never hesitates to lend a hand to the high school coaching staff. He is on the sidelines at every Friday night game and attends as many practices as possible. He has also helped coach varsity receivers and halfbacks and worked with the JV team. Stephenson believes learning from other coaches’ drills and game plans is invaluable.
“Coach Lamb, Savage and Justice have always let me do my own thing,” said Stephenson. “ We work right there with them. In my first few years of coaching, I carried a pad everywhere I went and wrote down exactly what coach Lamb had his players doing. And that’s what I’d make my players do later.”
Stephenson also believes that teaching kids fundamentals at the middle school level is of utmost importance, especially when preparing them for playing time at the next level.
“I’ve never thought that wins and losses were the most important thing at the middle school level,” said Stephenson. “We teach the very same fundamentals that are taught at the high school. We’ve had a bunch of kids that will move up from eighth to ninth grade and start varsity in their first year of high school. It always gives me a lot of pride in thinking, hey, we taught those kids to tackle. What they’ve got when they get up there and start, we’ve given it to them.”
With 40 years of coaching under his belt, Stephenson is sure to have many marks in the wins column, however, his record is a mystery to him.
“As far as how many games I’ve won and lost throughout the years, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t have a clue."
As the beginning of his 40th season creeps closer, Stephenson is chomping at the bit to get started with what he thinks will be a “ very exciting year.”
“There was a very good rec team last year that will have some kids moving into middle school,” said Stephenson. “We also had a good seventh grade class last year that will be returning to play. We are in a new league this year with Jefferson, Banks and other Jackson County schools. It will definitely be a tougher schedule this year, but I think we will hold our own and do pretty well.”
Stephenson may be a veteran coach at this point, but he has no intentions of throwing in the towel on his career anytime soon.
“I still feel like I’m 23-years-old,” said Stephenson. I look in the mirror and see that I’m not, but I’m still just as fired up about this season as I was when I started coaching. I still get a little nervous before the games. Once those feelings go away, I guess that’s when it will be time to give it up.”
Middle school coaches may not typically receive the recognition that high school, college or professional coaches enjoy, but Stephenson may one day be a Commerce legend in his own right. He has built the Commerce Middle School football program from the ground up, and plans on continuing his legacy for years to come.
“They may run me off one day, “ said Stephenson. “But I’m going to keep doing this as long as I still enjoy it and still feel energetic.”
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