William Jessie

William "Bill" Jessie, a Mobile native, graduated from Central High School and Alabama State. Jessie lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track during his high school playing days. Jessie then accepted a scholarship to Alabama State University where he played football and basketball. After college, he began coaching the new football program at Toulminville High School, now LeFlore, in 1965. As head coach, his teams won more than 100 games, including a 22 game undefeated streak in the late 1960s. Bill received the John Finleys Football Coach of the Year Award in 1967, 1969, and 1971, the Southern Interscholastic Athletic Association Coach of the Year Award in 1967 and 1968, and the Alabama Athletic Association Coach of the Year Award in 1968. Jessie coached the Toulminville High School Rattlers football team for 23 years. Bill was also a high school basketball official from 1962-68, calling many local, regional, and state tournament games. He was six times elected the Mobile County Official Associations "Official of the Year." Jessie later served on the Legislative Council of the Alabama High School Athletic Association for 19 years and on the Central Board of Control for 11 years, the last two years as President. Jessie was named one of the winners of the National Franklin Select Circle Coaching Awards, and in 2001, he was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame and the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame.