SUMMER PREPS: St. James building chemistry with new players, coaches
Interim head football coach Larry Ware has the St. James Trojans working on chemistry for the upcoming season. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
The month of July will prove interesting as the Trojans try to build chemistry with a new coaching staff and new candidates at quarterback.
A trio of new coaches -- Tommy Goodson, Anwar Taylor and Hayden Stockton -- will team up with head coach Larry Ware, who is in his third week as the Trojans’ head coach after Aubrey Blackwell’s decision to step down in May.
“A lot of this was put into motion before I was put in the interim position,” Ware said, “but they’re quality people and really good at what they do. I’m really grateful to have them right now.”
Goodson, a former assistant football coach at St. James (2014-18) before becoming the head baseball coach at Prattville Christian in 2019, recently stepped down from that position and is working at the school in the maintenance department. He will help coach the Trojan wide receivers this fall.
That was a position formerly held by a community coach, Cory Wright.
“We haven’t skipped much,” Ware said. “It’s been a real smooth transition. We lost some people. We lost a lot of experience in Cory Wright. Cory was our signal caller since Jimmy (Perry) was here. He played here, of course. Cory’s job has made it more and more difficult to spend (the necessary) time so he had to step back. He might still help us on game night.
Taylor, who “brings a ton of experience” to the staff, will handle the linebackers, Ware said.
Stockton, who will handle the strength and conditioning program for all Trojan athletics,will coach the defensive linemen this fall. He has served as a head coach at West End (2009-11) and Marbury (2021 and 2022) and as assistant coach at Prattville, Clay-Chalkville, Stanhope Elmore, Central-Phenix City and Greenville.
The Trojans have been blessed over the last 10 years with innovative play calling from Blackwell and Neal Posey on offense. Jackson Hammock will take over the duties as offensive coordinator this season.
“He’s a real bright guy,” Ware said. “I coached him when he was here (as a student). It really doesn’t take a guru, it just takes the right fit for our kids. I can’t tell you what it’s called but the scheme of things that we’re doing, we feel like it’s going to work. Coach Hammock started to learn it when he was introduced to it, way before now. I wasn’t going to change anything. It’s easier for me to get on the bus than changing the bus.”
Hammock’s main task in July is to find a quarterback. Last year’s starter, Chase Perry, transferred to Pike Road, while last year’s backup, Will Blackwell, left the program with his father.
“We’ve got quality people still in the program,” Ware said. “It’s the ‘next man up’ mentality and that’s what our kids have been looking at. We are very talented in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades. It’s going to take some building now and some patience as well.”
The Trojans will hold a scrimmage with Julian next week, giving the coaches a better understanding of their team heading into fall practice in late July.