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Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Woodlawn High School head football coach George Bates poses during a practice Aug. 29.
The front of Woodlawn High School, facing First Avenue North in Birmingham, is a pleasing sight to the eyes.
The brick and concrete exterior resemble something out of a movie, with a pair of wide staircases leading to the main entrance and multiple conical spirals atop the roof, giving the appearance of a majestic castle.
But as pleasing a sight as the surface on the front side, the direct opposite could be said about what occurs on the other side. On the backside of the school is a large patch of grass that runs the length of the school, where the football team practices.
It’s no secret that the football program at Woodlawn has not experienced a substantive amount of success in recent years, compiling just a pair of winning seasons out of the past 22.
But the Colonels are working to change that trend. They’re aiming to rebuild the castle. That starts with new head coach George Bates.
“Our objective is to rebuild the castle. The process is we’re going to do it brick by brick,” he said.
Bates is in his first year at Woodlawn, but is no stranger to the Birmingham City Schools system. He coached previously at Parker for two seasons. Before coming to Woodlawn, Bates guided Minor’s program to three straight winning seasons, including an 11-2 campaign last fall.
Despite the program’s recent record, he has big plans for Woodlawn football.
“I want to become one of the top 10 teams in Class 5A,” Bates said. “But I also want Woodlawn football to be the class of Woodlawn High School, as far as in the hallways. I want Woodlawn football to be known in the community."
Bates believes that on-field success starts in the classroom, and has harped on the importance of academics just as much, if not more, than he has winning football games. He fully believes University of South Florida head coach Charlie Strong’s philosophy. If a kid is doing well in class, he’s doing just fine on the field. And vice versa.
“Every coach we have on staff, along with the administrators, is on board,” Bates said. “We’re going to coach academics first. Football is going to come.”
One of the greatest hurdles to overcome for the team is beginning to build the confidence that it can actually become a contender. The first few games of the season did not provide instant results in the win column, but Bates wants his guys to stay the course.
“That’s the biggest thing as a coach,” Bates said. “I can encourage you, I can inspire you. We’ve got great coaches around you, we can care for you, we can love on you, but the main thing is just tweaking that mental approach.”
Bates’ hiring turned heads, and brought new attention to the Woodlawn program. The Colonels were also able to raise the funds to purchase new uniforms. The attention and tangible things are great, but the program and its success will be established as the proverbial castle is rebuilt, brick by brick.
“I just want this program to be a beast on and off the field. That’s what we’ve got to get to,” Bates said.
