*Classmates, you are going to love our tenth 'memoir,' this by Coach Maddox. Read on as the "ol' ball coach" coaches us with that great lesson: The Lord, indeed, gives "more than we deserve." Thanks, Coach.
Chapter 10
Coach Shaw Maddox
Our local pastor Jim Callan preached a sermon one Sunday explaining that when someone asked how we were, our response should be “Better than I deserve.” He went on to give us example after example of how God blesses us in so many ways opening my eyes to just how blessed my life has been.
Growing up in LaGrange was one of the biggest blessings in my life. My mama worked at Dunson Mill for fifty-one years, and my daddy worked there forty-six years. I went to Dunson Kindergarten, Dunson School, swam in Dunson pool, played sports at Dunson Park, and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at Dunson Baptist Church.
Students from Dunson School moved up to Hill Street Junior High along with students from some of the other elementary schools on that side of town, giving us the beginnings of a much larger circle of friends. Finally, our classes had new people sitting in front and back of us in alphabetical order for the first time in six years.
After a year at LaGrange Boys Junior High, we were blessed to finally arrive at LaGrange Senior High and become a true LaGrange Granger. Having everyone in town members of the Granger family was wonderful and one of the most exciting experiences of my life.
What a blessing to play sports with so many great athletes while building lasting friendships with our teammates. I was honored to represent the Grangers Region Champion football and baseball teams.
Following much prayer, God presented me with the opportunity to play baseball on scholarship at Mercer University in Macon. I was a four-year starter and got to play games against many SEC, ACC, and big northern schools.
After graduation from Mercer, I taught two years in Columbus before accepting an opportunity to be an assistant coach with Coach Hightower in Bainbridge for a year. At the end of the year Coach Hightower left to begin a football program at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus.
While in Bainbridge, I met and was smitten by a young lady named Susan Byne who later became my wife, in 1985. We have been together for forty-one years and have two daughters: Jessica, 36, and Gentry 31. Jessica and her husband Matt live in Virginia and have two sons, Jackson and Anson. Gentry and her husband Andrew live in Raleigh, North Carolina and have a three-month-old, Ethan.
In my career, I coached for thirty-one years and was a head football coach for twenty-five. We were blessed to win two state championships and be named FACA Coach of the Year twice.
If you have ever been to Disney World or have driven in Central Florida, you can appreciate the fact that I was blessed to survive teaching Driver Education in Kissimmee/St. Cloud for the last fourteen years of my teaching career. I promise you I said, “Jesus take the wheel LONG BEFORE Carrie Underwood.”
I retired from the Osceola County School District in February of 2021, and Susan retired at the end of June 2021. We spend our time enjoying traveling to see our grandsons and spending time together.
We are so blessed by God’s love and Grace. How am I doing today?
Better than I deserve.
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