Gadsden County High School welcomes new head coach

The Jaguar family at Gadsden County High School welcomed a new member to its faculty this week.

On Tuesday, October 11, Andrew Moten was introduced as the new head coach for the school’s varsity basketball team.

“We’re excited to have Coach Moten back,” said Eric Toussaint, athletic director at Gadsden County High School. “The players feel relieved that their new coach is somebody they can look up to [and] somebody they can trust. Coach Moten is somebody the players can relate to.”

Being a product of Gadsden County himself, the players can look up to Moten as proof that dreams can be achieved no matter where you come from and what adversities you may face.

Before the merging of East Gadsden High School and West Gadsden High School, Moten was the head coach of West Gadsden’s basketball team and steered the team to the Class 1A State title, the program’s first State Championship.

He was also the head coach at Gadsden County High School the first year of the merger.

“Coach Moten’s educational philosophy is that every student learns differently,” explained Chelsea Franklin, principal of Gadsden County High School. “With that being stated, he focuses on each learning style and works with students so that they do not feel isolated, but feel a purpose and want to learn just as any other student. He believes that once you make a student comfortable in their learning environment, students will excel and become productive citizens.”

Andrew Moten, the new head coach for the Gadsden County High School’s Jaguar basketball team is pictured sitting, third from the left, while surrounded by members of the school’s athletic and academic leadership staff.

According to Moten, there will be a designated study hall session during practice for student athletes that may be struggling with a few class assignments.

Although it has not been confirmed yet, Moten said he would also like to incorporate tutors during the study hall so players can receive all the help they need to achieve academically.

One of the first things that Moten said he will do as the new head coach is look at the student-athlete’s data and grades from last year.

For Moten, good education is fundamental to the development of great athletes.

“A lot of times people will come in and they don&#39;t care about the kids’ education,” said Moten. “Success doesn’t always mean you go off and play in the NBA. For me, success is knowing that someone’s kid just graduated high school.”

Andrew Moten, a native of Gadsden County himself, speaks to the young student-athletes who will be playing on the Jaguars basketball team.

Unlike neighboring counties who have been training and conditioning all summer long, Moten has to expedite practices.

Students are getting all of their paperwork in check this week, making sure all medical physicals are completed before they get to working.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what type of young talent we have,” said Moten. “We want to develop our young talent so when they get to be juniors and seniors, we’ll have them up to par and they will be ready.”

One of the principles that Moten will be incorporating during practices is trust; for him, trust is vital to the success of the team.

Not only does he want the players to trust him and their teammates, but they need to have trust in themselves.

Sometimes things don’t work out the way they are anticipated to be, but if the students have trust within them, they will be ready for anything.

Moten will be accompanied by a new team of assistant coaches, one of them being Barry Corker.

Corker and Moten used to coach at West Gadsden together.

Maybelline Somoza - Gadsden County News Service

Gadsden County High School welcomes new head coach

County seeks
to re-allocate $2.8 million in Cares Act funds

Gadsden County Times Legals – 10/20

Gadsden County Times Legals - 10/20

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Gadsden County High School welcomes new head coach

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County seeksto re-allocate $2.8 million in Cares Act funds

Gadsden County Times Legals – 10/20

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County seeks
to re-allocate $2.8 million in Cares Act funds