GACA Coaches Hall of Fame selects 6 for induction

ajc.com

Former high school football coaches Cecil Flowe of Parkview, Max Bass of Newnan, Steve Pardue of Newnan and Cecil Barber of Clinch County were chosen this week for the Georgia Athletic Coaches Hall of Fames. Also to be inducted May 29-30 in Dalton are A.C. McCullers of basketball and Bill Thorn of Landmark Christian in track and field and cross country.

Flowe won four state and six region championships at Parkview from 1993 to 2013, during which he compiled a record of 197-67. In 2000-02, Flowe’s Parkview teams became the first in state history to finish 15-0 over three straight seasons. Flowe retired from head coaching but continues to work as an assistant at North Forsyth.

Bass also was head coach for only one school, Newnan, for his entire career and was 203-103-7 from 1966 to 1994. His teams won four region titles.

Pardue was 185-54 in 20 seasons (1994-2016) and won state titles at LaGrange in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

Barber was Clinch County’s football coach for 10 seasons and won a state title in 2002, but he even more accomplished as a baseball coach. His baseball teams won 436 games and six state titles.

McCullers won more than 900 basketball games and was the girls basketball coach for Morrow’s 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993 championship teams.

Thorn, the founder of Landmark Christian, won 38 state titles in track and field and cross country. He won his final title last spring in boys track and field, just before retirement. His 38 state champions are believed to be the most won by any Georgia high school coach in history. Thorn also was a head football coach for 21 seasons in Georgia.