By Henry Williamson, for the Tribune
TRUSSVILLE, Ala. — Long-time head football coach and local legend, Hal Riddle, was recently nominated for the ALFCA Lifetime Achievement Award on July 23, adding another accomplishment to his resume.
“It’s pretty humbling to be considered for anything lifetime achievement wise,” Riddle said.
“I know Phil Lazenby, who’s another one of the guys that was selected, and he’s had a pretty storied career. He’s a first rate individual besides being a special coach, so I’m honored to be in that group.”
Riddle played quarterback and graduated from Hewitt-Trussville in 1976 before earning his degree at the University of Montevallo in 1980. A year later, he started his coaching career as an assistant at Warrior and Hewitt-Trussville, then moved to Erwin in 1984 where he eventually was promoted to head coach in 1993. At Erwin, he finished 39-20 overall in five seasons, including receiving 1995 6A Coach of the Year honors after winning 10 games and an area championship.
In 1999, Riddle departed from Mortimer Jordan after one season and replaced Tony Pugh as head coach at Clay-Chalkville, a school that opened three years earlier in 1996. Despite being new to the program, he managed to lead the Cougars to their first ever state title in Class 6A, securing a 30-27 victory over Robert E. Lee of Montgomery in overtime to cap off a historic run. Through three seasons, he totaled a 26-12 record.
“It was a unique situation”, Riddle said. “We started off decent and won the first game, then lost the second game. Shades Valley came over to Clay and wore us out in October. A couple weeks after that, something just clicked and those kids started believing in themselves, and we had a great ending to the season, and got into the playoffs. In the semifinals, we went to Shades Valley and our guys had a lot of confidence going into that game. We won and got a chance to play in the championship game. Robert E. Lee was the rep from the south. It’s just unbelievable and amazing to get to one of those games and then to win one, so it was really exciting.”
Head football coach at Clay-Chalkville, Stuart Floyd, was the starting quarterback for Riddle’s championship team in 1999.
“Extremely proud of him and to have played for him,” Floyd said. “The positive impact he had on me as an 18-year-old kid. He had a different style and method, but it was effective.”
Leeds head football coach Jerry Hood worked alongside Riddle as an assistant at Clay-Chalkville.
“He deserves it,” Hood said.
“He’s a very successful football coach and an even better man. When I became the coach at Clay, we competed against each other for many years and he was a wonderful mentor to me. He always kept things in a godly perspective, and that helped me. His motivation was to win each week, but that wasn’t the overall goal. The overall goal was to have a positive impact on people and he did that. He had a heck of a career.”
In 2002, Riddle accepted the head coaching job at his alma mater, Hewitt-Trussville. He spent 12 years with the team before retiring in 2014. During that span, he propelled the Huskies to multiple playoff appearances, ending his tenure with a 79-55 record.
“It was very encouraging that they offered me the opportunity to come and be the football coach there”, Riddle said. “To have the opportunity to go back home and be the coach at your alma mater is pretty special.”
Jeremiah Millington, 2004 alumni of Hewitt-Trussville, was the starting quarterback under Riddle and is now the head basketball coach at Leeds.
“Coach Riddle was a true coach who did more than teach the rules of the game; he taught the rules of life for young men”, Millington said. “His impact goes far beyond the field & scoreboard, leaving a legacy of hard work, integrity, and community pride that changed the trajectory of so many lives.”
Riddle reflected on his experience and shared where he is now since his 2014 retirement.
“When I first retired, it was really different, because I didn’t have that routine that I’ve been used to,” he said. “But in the meantime, my wife and I have got a little booth at an antique store. We do a little shopping and have 11 grandkids that are buried in a sundry of different activities and sports, so that keeps us with something to do. Life is really good for us and we have been really blessed.”
Riddle closed his career as head football coach with a 150-90 record in 21 seasons and will be honored for his impact on the sport during the ALFCA banquet in Montgomery in January.
