Woodie Head has been a fixture at Faith Academy for nearly four decades.

That run will end later this month when Head retires from his current position as the school’s athletic director. He’s also coached baseball, volleyball, girls and boys basketball, football and softball during his time at Faith.

“It’s been just unbelievable,” he said this week of his career at the West Mobile school. “Great times. Great road trips. I couldn’t be more blessed. I wouldn’t trade any amount of money for my time here.”

Head’s coaching resume speaks for itself – 26 overall state championships in four different sports. That includes 24 titles in the Alabama Independent School Association and one each in the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Southeastern Christian Athletic Conference.

“I got the chance to meet coach Head more than two decades ago before his school had joined the AHSAA,” said Ron Ingram, an Alabama Sports Writers Association Hall of Famer and current director of communications for the AHSAA. “His commitment to building character and faith in his players was evident in their abilities to persevere and find ways to win.

“He loved coaching girls’ sports, especially volleyball, basketball and softball, and in the transition to the AHSAA, his leadership at Faith Academy made an impact immediately. That positive impact continues in the AHSAA almost 20 years later.”

Head’s overall record as a head coach in volleyball, girls and boys basketball and softball was 1,615-288. He finished with 791 basketball victories, including nine consecutive girls state championships at one point. His AHSAA state title came with the girls basketball team in 2013. He stepped down from coaching in 2018. He coached multiple student-athletes who went on to play in college, including Jasmine Rhodes (LSU) and Unique Thompson (Auburn).

“When coach Head first saw me, he said, ‘Oh man, she’s tall. You’re going to be good,’” said the 6-foot-3 Thompson, who now plays professionally overseas. “He didn’t just make sure I was good. He made sure I was great.

“On the court, he gave me that drop step that I still use in my professional career. Off the court, he taught me to tell those in every country that I visit that God gets all the glory. … Coach Head will forever hold a special place in my heart. I’m forever grateful for all the things that he’s instilled in me.”

Though he’s been at Faith for 38 years, Head didn’t start his career there. He actually started at Evangel Christian where he faced another Hall of Fame coach, Lloyd Skoda, at Faith Academy.

Head said he had some success coaching against Faith in football and basketball, but he never could beat Skoda in baseball. After two years at Evangel, Head joined the Faith staff. He helped Skoda with baseball and also coached junior varsity and middle school boys basketball in those early years.

“We became good friends coaching against each other,” Skoda said. “I had so much respect for him. We stood for the same things. He wasn’t soft, and I wasn’t soft, and we both loved the Lord. We were able to put those two things together, which is hard. I told him, ‘Coach, you need to be at Faith,’ and the rest is history.”

Skoda said there was no need to check Head’s resume before Faith hired him.

“You want to have good people around you and, buddy, he is a good guy,” he said. “He’s so dependable, great coach. He was everything I and the school was looking to hire.”

Head has been the state’s coach of the year in volleyball, girls and boys basketball and softball. He was inducted into the AISA Hall of Fame in 2002.

“He’s a super guy,” said former Faith football coach Jack French, who also retried during this academic year. “There won’t be many more like him – guys who served in the military first, great family people, good husbands and good fathers who become a good school man. That’s who Woodie Head is.

He’s helped me so much. I already miss him.”

Head, 76, said he plans to spend his time now with his family. He and wife Barbara have been married 56 years. They have three children – each of whom played sports under their father – and six grandchildren.

He was honored at a retirement ceremony last weekend and will be honored again in June with the other Faith Academy retirees.

“God gave me great direction and great wisdom throughout my career,” Head said. “I didn’t win any of those games. My players did. And my assistant coaches? I couldn’t have had better people. I’m probably the most blessed man in athletics to have the career and the family I’ve had.”

He will certainly be missed at Faith, though he said he will still attend some athletic events when he can and be available to help the school as needed.

“He’s a good guy to have in your corner when you are in a jam,” French said. “A person like Woodie Head would be missed anywhere. He will be hard to replace.”