Cecil Wright

Cecil Wright was born August 11, 1916 as the oldest child of a Brindlee Mountain farm family. He grew up in Grassy and would spend a part of his adult life in the same community teaching and coaching. Crippled as a sixth grader with osteomyelitis, he would forever be limited as an athlete. Birmingham doctor John D. Sherrill accepted sorghum syrup and vegetables as payment for young Wright’s medical bills.

In 1939, after using all scholarship and family financing, young Wright asked Guntersville banker J.P. Willis for a loan of $155.75 to finish his last year of college. Mr. Willis told him “Son, I’m going to loan you this money because your daddy and granddaddy banked with me.”

This Depression era teenager would go on to outstanding achievements in athletics and education. Wright’s 49-year career in public schools included coach and teacher at Grassy, Ryan, Boaz and Asbury; principal at Asbury, Alabama Avenue and Albertville High; and supervisor with Marshall County schools.

As an Arab student Cecil was given an assistant job with head football and basketball coach Norman “Pete” Garrett, Albertville Class of ‘32. Wright later became the head coach of football and basketball at Boaz High School. He coached two county basketball championship teams including a state tournament team in 1947. His best Boaz football squad was 1948 (5-3-1). During the Grassy years, 1940-43, his junior high team beat two varsity teams, Guntersville and Austinville. From 1943-46 at Ryan, he lost a total of eight games while winning a Morgan County Junior High Championship and losing by three to Hartselle in the varsity championship game.

Cecil and his wife Sue’s only child, Bruce, had a long career in public schools, retiring as superintendent of the Jefferson County School System.