Submitted by Charlotte Gonce
[email protected]
Coach Jerry Long of Iuka Mississippi, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Long, brother to Charlotte Gonce of Anderson, Texas and Beady Moramen of Andalucía, Alabama, was inducted into the Mississippi Association of Coaches on June 21, 2024.
The inductees are elected by their peers, which is a very high honor. Your peers know you very well as they have been around you and coached against you. It doesn’t get better than that, except playing for a state championship.
Jerry and his family moved to Stevenson, Alabama when he was a young boy. He would have been a graduate of the Stevenson High School Class of 1975. He always had a love for any kind of sport. Jerry made many friends there while living in Stevenson. Some of them were Don and Barry Privett, Cowan Mason, David Smith, Paul Morris Ricky Stack, Jack Lovelady, John Cook Rudder, John David Guess, Warren Mullinax, and Steve Sanders. Most of his friends played ball with him. Some of Jerry’s heroes were Tray Ferguson, Sonny McCrary, and Benny Bacey.
Jerry always had a real love for Stevenson and the Stevenson Panthers. He wanted to wear a Panther uniform so bad. However, his daddy got a job with TVA and the family moved back to Iuka, Mississippi. He was heartbroken over leaving his friends and the Panthers. He watched the games and watched them practice whenever he could.
When Jerry was 15 years old, he got his first little league team and went from there. He also won the pass, punt, and kick contest. He lettered in baseball, football, and basketball. He was the MVP on the team and helped the Braves win the state title in 1973-1974. He won many awards over the years.
Coach Long was a 2-year starter and second in home runs at UNA (University of North Alabama) and has four years of coaching under his belt.
Coach Long was named Assistant Football and Baseball Coach in Iuka, Tishomingo County, and later became the head coach there. He also coached in Cherokee County, Alabama for a year or two, where he led them to the play offs, one in softball and one in baseball.
Jerry has coached slow pitch softball for 27 years and fast pitch softball for 10 years. He coached baseball for 30 years. In his 30 years of coaching he had one losing season (in baseball). Many of his players got scholarships and went on to accomplish great things.
Coach Long’s Hall of fame awards were:
- Hall of Fame Diamond Club
- Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association for better baseball
- Northeast Mississippi Community College Athletics
- Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame
- Top 10 in the state of Mississippi for most wins and most games coached
- Has a street named after him
- Jersey (#20) was retired and presented to him
- Plaque for winning 1400 games (the team is still going strong and ready for another season
Jerry is married to Angela Golden Long. They have a son named Blake, who is also well into sports, Daughter-in-Law named Leslie, and five grandchildren (Johnson, Blakely, James, Jack, and Joe). They are members of the Foot Street Church of Christ in Corinth, Mississippi.
Jerry gave his God all the glory and credit for his success. “I wouldn’t be here today if he hadn’t been with me all the way.”
We are so proud of the man Jerry became; his love of family and love of ballgames and coaching, and especially his love and devotion to God.
