Old Football Coaches Never Die-They Just Lose a Few Yards

The Courtyard Nursing and Rehabilitation center in Marianna held its annual Hometown Heroes Celebration the evening of April 29th. Coach Alton Parris was one of four recipients of the award this year.
Mr. Parris coached football in Bristol, Cross City, and Cottondale. His most successful coaching years were the early 1960’s in Cross City where he coached the Dixie County High School Bears. The Bears had several great seasons winning the Suwannee Conference in 1964 and Coach Parris was awarded as Florida’s Coach of the Year. A thyroid illness led to a career change and Mr. Parris built swimming pools until, as he puts it, he just had to quit.
An effort to obtain pictures from Dixie Co. High School resulted in seven of his former Dixie Co. ballplayers, with whom he’d had no contact with since 1966, driving up to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony. Mr. Parris was proud and honored these former students/ballplayers remembered him with such fondness that they would drive the distance to honor him after 42 years. The former Bears stayed late, reminiscing about exceptional games, dropped balls, caught balls, 1960’s discipline and life’s lessons from "one of the best coaches ever". Coach Parris stayed right with the guys, recalling plays like it was yesterday.
The Parris family would like to express our appreciation for the care and concern for dignity given to our loved one by the professionals at the Courtyard. Thanks also to the Dixie County Bears alumni for showing or Dad how fondly his efforts are remembered and appreciated. Reliving "Glory Days" put a sparkle in his eyes and has given us all renewed hopes of recovery.
Dad says of the ballplayers, they were tough, and good. They beat some good teams that weren’t used to getting beat. Currently, Dad is more concerned with "getting a little more mobile". He says those guys have boats and they want to take me speckled trout fishing out of Horseshoe Beach, his old fishing grounds, located off the Dixie County coast.