By Bonita Wilborn
Human beings face a plethora of new things throughout their lives. We’re born, and before too long we learn to talk and then walk. As time goes on we learn new things from day to day and year to year. Starting school is one of the huge milestones in a child’s life as they are going to a strange place that is big and scary, where their mother or baby sitter will no longer be with them all day. That’s where they first begin to learn how to live in society. Each grade completed brings on new challenges, new circumstances, and yet another stage in life to become accustomed to. Each stage in life carries us to new heights we’ve never achieved and presents us with opportunities we’ve never had.
Paul Ellis, current Head Football Coach at Fort Payne High School is soon to step into a new stage in his life as he will be stepping out of the comfort zone where he’s spent a large majority of his adult life and moving into a new coaching position. On Tuesday, March 13th Paul Ellis was officially hired as Head Football Coach at LaFayette High School in LaFayette, Georgia. “I’ve spent 23 years here at Fort Payne, with the last 14 being Head Coach,” Paul Ellis said. “It took a lot of soul searching to be sure this was the right decision. My time at Fort Payne has just been terrific. I’ve had great cooperation from the faculty, the students, and the administration. I’m thankful for that and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But, just like the seniors that will be graduating this year and moving on to the next stage in their lives, I felt that it was time for a new stage in my life as well. I hope it will go well.”
Coach Ellis is a 1985 graduate of Fyffe High School. After graduation he attended Northeast Alabama Community College where he worked toward an Associates of Science Degree in Pre Pharmacy. After completing his time at Northeast Paul then went on to Auburn University’s Pharmacy School to continue his Pharmacy Degree. However, after a year he seceded that he preferred to teach and coach, so he transferred to Jacksonville State University to complete his education. He received a Composite Science Degree there and then received his Masters Degree from the University of Alabama in Gadsden. Over the years he has taught just about every kind of science that is available. Coach Ellis was hired for his first coaching position at Valley Head High School, where he stayed three years before moving on to Fort Payne High School. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” he said, “and I’ve never worked a day in my life.”
With many years of coaching experience under his belt, Coach Paul Ellis will be retiring in Alabama to take the position in Georgia, which will begin on April 9th. “My hope is that the players I’ve worked over the years can say ‘I know coach cared about me and tried to help me in every way he could.’ You can’t have success without good players and good assistant coaches,” Ellis said. “We’ve been blessed with coaches that are men of character.”
Under the tutelage of Paul Ellis, the Fort Payne Wildcats have made the playoffs every season except two. They won six region championships and in 2011 Ellis served as the Head Coach for the North-South All-Star game.
“LaFayette’s program is about like it was here when I first took over, but when I do anything I’m all in. I hope to be able to take some of the positive attitude and success we’ve had here, with me to LaFayette.”