Coach Folston is a 1989 graduate of the Cocoa High Tigers, where he earned All Space Coast Honors during his one year of play at the varsity level.  Coach Folston attended Northeast Louisiana University where he became the all time sack leader with 28 sacks.  His many decorated awards include: two-time All-Louisiana player, named to four 1st team All-America polls, one-second team All-America poll, two-time All-Southland Conference, and voted as the best defensive end in the country his seniors year on the 1AA ranks by the Coach’s Poll.  He was drafted by the LA Raiders in the 2nd round of the 1994 draft as the 52nd pick overall and played with the LA Raiders and the Oakland Raiders from 1994-1998 before he went to the Arizona Cardinals from 1999-2001.  He has been a devoted coach and mentor to the student athletes of Cocoa High School for many years, donating thousands of dollars and giving thousands of hours to both the football and track programs.  Under his coaching, Cocoa High has seen several State Championship athletes in both sports go on to earn scholarships to attend and play at the D1 collegiate level.  His contributions extend to being a constant advocate and positive PR person for Cocoa High School using his personal reputation and connections to help elevate the perception of the students and school within the immediate community and without.  His words of inspiration have motivated our student athletes to higher and higher levels of achievement, both personal bests and team bests, each year, and they have became the threads to the fabric of what makes Cocoa High School football and track such elite athletic programs: “We do a lot with less,” “Do not be disappointed with the results you did not get with the work you did not do,” “We do not workout, WE TRAIN!” and one of the most impactful for our community as a whole “Come back to give back,” which Coach Folston has personally demonstrated through his actions time after time.  The request to name the newly renovated track at Cocoa High after Coach Folston is a small token of appreciation for the huge impact he has had, and will continue to have, on our school and local community.

Letter to Cocoa SAC Committee from Mayor Mike C. Blake, Cocoa, Florida

September 25, 2023

Dear Committee Members:

I am writing to request your consideration of naming the Cocoa High School track after long time coach and community member Mr. James Folston.  Coach Folston has been instrumental in providing not only coaching, but also community relations, volunteering, and financial support to the student athletes of Cocoa High for many years.  Through his guidance and mentoring efforts, the student athletes of Cocoa High have been able to not only succeed at incredible levels of athletic performance, but they have also been able to succeed inside the classroom to the degree that they have been eligible for countless athletic scholarships to major colleges and universities across the country.  Coach Folston has dedicated almost 2000 hours of his own time to the students of Cocoa High and has helped countless students reach State Championship success in both football and track. 

The title of “coach” carries a respect and weight within the Cocoa community; Coach Folston is the model of what it means to be a coach – helping a person change and grow to become the person they want to be and can be when they have people who believe in them and work alongside them to help them become the best version of themselves.  Coach Folston commits himself with no expectation of a return of favors or gratitude from the school or community.  He does so out of the love and passion he has for the Cocoa High students and community.  His student athletes recognize this genuine caring and return it in tenfold by performing at top levels and making personal commitments to excellence both on and off the playing field.

We are fortunate to have James Folston committed to coaching the young people of our great community; having his name attached to the new and improved Cocoa track would be the best and most sincere form of appreciation we as a community could show him.

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

TIGER PRIDE

Mayor Mike C. Blake