Mark Freeman

Mark Freeman attended Bessemer Academy and graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Freeman landed his first head football coaching job at Bessemer Academy in 1998. Over the next ten seasons his teams went 101-21 and won four AISA State Championships. He also served as the Athletic Director at Bessemer Academy. Coach Freeman led the Rebels to four State Championships in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007. His teams were also state championship runner-ups in 2001 and 2005. He was named the AISA Football Coach of the Year in 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2007 and the Coach of the Year according to the Alabama Sports Writers in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Freeman was also the coach of the All-Star football game seven consecutive seasons. Between 2001 and 2007 his teams went 40-1 in region play and 17-3 in the playoffs. While at Bessemer Academy, Coach Freeman also served as the head baseball coach. He also coached softball, powerlifting, girls and boys basketball. His seven year record in baseball was 116-70, with two Final 4 appearances. His softball teams made Final 4 appearances from 2003-05, and his powerlifting teams were 3 time State Champs. His girls basketball team made the playoffs from 2006-08, and his boys basketball team was state champion in 2008 and made the play-offs seven seasons. He stepped down at Bessemer Academy following the 2007 football season and served as the quarterbacks coach at Minor in 2008. In 2009, Freeman accepted the head coaching position at Gulf Shores High School. He went 13-9 during two seasons at Gulf Shores and led the Dolphins to the second round of the playoffs in 2009. In 2011, he became the head football coach at Spanish Fort High School. The Toros defeated McAdory to claim their second state championship in three years with a 14-1 record. His 2013 team finished 15-0 and won another Class 5A state championship with a win over Muscle Shoals in the title game. Freeman resigned from Spanish Fort to accept the head coaching job at Thompson high school near Birmingham. His four teams at Spanish Fort finished a combined 50-7. He has built a powerhouse at Thompson winning four state championships in a row and a total of six since arriving in 2015.