Kim "Snake" Porch

Kim Porch was born on August 5, 1954 in Guntersville to Jack and Mabel Porch. He grew up in Union Grove with his four brothers, Steve, Mike, Lon, Jay, and one sister Jennie. Kim learned to play all kinds of sports in his back yard, where there were always friends and family gathering to play ball. He was in the third grade when he first started playing community league baseball at Union Grove and continued through junior high school. He made the All-Star baseball team every year from 1967 to 1971. When Kim entered the 10th grade at Arab High School, he started playing on the school teams. The first football that he ever played was as a JV tailback and defensive back for legendary Alabama High School Hall of Fame Coach Buster Gross. His other coaches were Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame Coach Bill Morgan, Melvin Henderson, and Tony Proctor. He was on the same team with Hall of Fame members Danny Maze, Ken Tyler, and Roger Ralph. From 1969-1971, Arab won three consecutive Marshall County Championships and had a record of 22-6-1. As a senior on the 1971 team, Kim was named to the All-County team and Defensive MVP. After noting that Kim had 10 interceptions in two years at AHS, Coach Gross called him, "The best defensive back in the state." He later said that Kim was a great leader and the best defensive back he had ever coached in his 33 years of coaching, including his State Championship teams. Kim was also an outstanding baseball player at AHS and Team Captain on Coach Morgan's first baseball team.

He was also selected as Vice-President of his class for two years, Mr. A-Club, and received the Leadership Award from the AHS faculty. Hall of Fame Coach Charlie Pell, the Head Football Coach at Jacksonville State, signed Kim to a four-year Grant-in-Aide following his senior year. He played three years for Coach Pell and two years for Coach Clarkie Mayfield. Other JSU coaches included Jimmy Fuller, Watson Brown, and legendary Defensive Coordinator Joe Kines. As a member of the JSU "Red Bandit" defense, Kim collected 8 interceptions and was selected "Player-of-the-Game" vs. Tennessee Martin after breaking up two passes and making one tackle in a game-winning goal-line stand against the Pacers. He acquired the nickname "Snake" because of his quick strikes when it came to intercepting or knocking down the ball. After college Kim tried coaching for three years with AHS teammate Mike Shipp at Selma before returning to Arab to manage Porch Home Medical Supply. In 1993 he married Denise Tolomei, currently the Assistant Principal at Arab Elementary School. The couple has three daughters, Kimberlin, a tenth grader who plays on the AHS Volleyball Team, and twins Kate and Baylee, 9th graders who play volleyball and basketball. Kim has served as Youth Director at Union Grove Baptist Church since 1995 and also teaches Sunday School.