Video: Remembering A Legacy On And Off The Field

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Coaches often serve many roles at a school; some on the field, but some off the field as well.

Noxubee County High School Football Coach James Patterson was known for his work in both fields.

He had been with the Noxubee County School System for almost forty years.

There are two types of people who live in Noxubee County, those who played for Coach Patterson, and those that wanted to.

Noxubee County Head Football Coach Tyrone Shorter says Coach Patterson helped build the school’s program to what it is today.

Regardless of what sport, or what team, the meaning of a coach travels across all fields.

“The word coach, it means a lot. It means dad, it means big brother, and a lot of these kids, we have probably over 75 to 80 percent of these kids, here in Noxubee County, in other schools too, probably their fathers are not in their lives,” says Coach Shorter.

Since this Noxubee County High School football player was in the seventh grade, Coach Patterson has been coaching him on and off the field.

Not only was Patterson like a father to him, he was also his uncle.

Kymbotric Mason says Friday night lights won’t be the same without him.

“It makes me want to work harder because when he was here, all he told me was always work hard, never be satisfied, so now, I still remember that, so I’m always going to work hard and never quit.”

Sophomore Kyziah Pruitt says Coach Patterson always pushed players to be the best.

“It means a lot to know they’re in your corner. They have your back with everything you do, like Coach Patterson, like Coach Shorter and them, and every decision I make, I try to check with them because I know their opinion means a lot to me.”

Shorter worked by Coach Patterson’s side for almost 20 years. He says he will remember his business side the most.

“The only time I’ve ever seen him smile is when we win a championship, and then he smiles and he would say, ‘coach, now we can smile,’ so that’s the Coach Patterson that I’m going to remember, but that guy had been in this community for 38 years and he’s touched the lives and he’s changed the lives of a lot of young people.”

Shorter says it’s not about winning football games at Noxubee County, it’s about touching kids lives on and off the field, just like Coach Patterson has done for the last three decades.

“You can’t replace a guy like that, you know, because he was more than just a coach, you know, he was that father to these guys. He was that mentor. He was that big brother to them.”

A candle light memorial will be held Thursday night at the Noxubee County football field to honor Patterson’s life.

Patterson’s funeral service will be held this Saturday at noon at the high school.