GISA bestows Distinguished Service to Hornets’ Jones

The one number that’s important to Ronnie Jones isn’t for total victories or the specific years of winning state championships.

For his 37 years of coaching at Westfield and Brookwood in Thomasville, the Georgia Independent School Association coaches bestowed the Distinguished Service Award to Jones during the annual banquet held on St. Simons Island in July. He was one of four recipients for 2013, the others being Meredith Gruhl, Deerfield-Windsor softball coach; Ken Johnson, baseball and football coach at John Milledge and Trinity; and the late Mike Roobin, football coach at Fullington and Crisp Academy.

“The biggest thing for this to me is not the wins and losses,” said Jones. “It’s 37 years of coaching and working with a lot of different young men. For me, the important thing is I hope that I influenced some people in some positive ways.”

Jones won his 300th game in football during the 2011 GISA playoffs. He added 10 more wins during the 2012 season, and he is sure to add to that when the 2013 season begins Aug. 30.

For the Phenix City, Ala., native, it all began in his hometown in 1976. Woodland Christian won the championship of the Alabama Christian Schools Association that year. Jones moved to Brookwood in 1979, where he also guided teams to the top in 1983 and 1985.

His longest stay has been at Westfield, 20 years now, and the Hornets have four state title game appearances under Jones.

It hasn’t all been on the gridiron. For 14 years Jones was a head baseball coach winning a state title with Brookwood in 1985.

The GISA Coaches Association established the Distinguished Service Award in 2003. Twenty people were honored, including the man who began Westfield football, the late Marvin Arrington.

“I feel honored,” said Jones about being on a list that includes former Tattnall Square coaches Richard Reid and Barney Hester, former Southland coach Melvin Kinslow, former Stratford coaches Rodney Collins, Grady Smith and Bubber Adams and current Deerfield-Windsor basketball coach Gordy Gruhl. “Just thank the good Lord that He’s allowed me to be a head coach for 37 years.

“I knew (Mike Roobin) when he was at Fullington many years back. He was a good fellow. We all miss him.”

The Jones family has two sons, both living in Athens. Trevor is an attorney and Chance is a football coach at Prince Avenue Christian.

As part of the ceremony at the King and Prince Resort, the GISA honored all state championship coaches from the 2012-13 school year. That included Westfield’s Mike Thompson (wrestling) and Wendy Bryan (girls tennis).

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