CONTRIBUTED BY OCS
OPELIKA —
At the 26th annual AHSAA Championship Coaches banquet held on Friday, July 22, at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, former Opelika High School Athletic Director, Mike Pugh, was named the AHSAA/AHSADCA 2021-22 Athletic Director of the Year. In addition, OHS boys’ head track coach, Jimmy Johnson, was recognized as the 2020-21 NFHS State Coach of the Year for Boys Outdoor Track. Johnson’s award had been announced in December 2021 and he was formally recognized at Friday’s banquet.
Pugh served as the athletic director from May 2018 until his retirement in May 2022. He was nominated earlier this year by OHS colleagues for the award. “For over forty years, Coach Pugh has played a significant role in the field of athletics. His impact reaches far beyond the athletes he has coached and the coaches he has mentored. His leadership, kindness, and love of people have impacted our community and unified our system. Coach Pugh has mastered both the art and science of building relationships. He inspires us to reach new heights and encourages us to keep moving forward. He is the push when we need motivation and the pull when we struggle. Coach Pugh encompasses all qualities of an effective leader, and his compassion for others is unmatched,” said Allison Gregory, OHS Assistant Athletic Director. Dr. Farrell Seymore, Superintendent of the Opelika City Schools added “Coach Pugh understands more than anything, that athletics is not about winning but about relationships. He has fostered a sense of community at OHS that transcends across all areas of our community. We are a better school because of his leadership.”
The Opelika City Schools would like to congratulate Coach Pugh and Coach Johnson on these prestigious awards.