Mark Jones

Mark Anthony Jones was born on September 29, 1960, in Guntersville to Ray M. and Charlotte Godwin Jones.  Ray owned a machine shop that made parts for NASA and Redstone Arsenal, while Charlotte served as the secretary for the family business.  Mark has an older sister Rita Morrow, an older brother Mike Jones, and a younger sister Lisa Jones.  Rita is a graduate of Jacksonville State, Mike has won numerous state championships as the GHS soccer coach, and Lisa is a champion golfer.

Growing up in Guntersville, Mark began officiating at a young age.  He would serve as a referee for games played in his neighborhood, often making his brother and peers angry as he made decisions in those games.  His dad reinforced his love of officiating by making sure Mike and the others knew that Mark’s decisions were final.  His neighbor, Class of 2010 inductee Hut Thomas, would let Mark borrow his officiating equipment to call the games.  Mark was a student trainer for all sports as a student at Guntersville High School and was awarded the Dedicated Service Award as a senior at GHS.  He was a manager for the 1975 state title winning Guntersville men’s basketball team that featured Marshall County Sports Hall of Famers Kent Looney, Phillip Collie, and Coach Jim Rhodes.  Mark graduated from Guntersville High in 1978.

Mark received a scholarship to become a men’s basketball manager at Jacksonville State University under 2002 Hall of Fame inductee Coach Bill Jones.  He served as head manager all four years.  While in college, Mark worked at the Guntersville Rec Center for Class of 2009 inductee Bill Moore and began umpiring in the Guntersville rec leagues.  In the fall of 1979, Mark began officiating high school football, basketball, baseball, and softball.  He graduated from Jax State with his bachelor’s degree in physical education and sociology in 1982 and received his master’s degree in P.E. in 1983. 

In 1984, Mark became Jacksonville State’s first full-time Intramural Sports Director, which entailed management of Pete Mathews Coliseum and organization of all intramural sports at the University.  He also taught officiating classes, and the students he trained served as officials for the intramural games.  He held that position for 32 years.  During the mid-80’s, he also managed the Henry Farms Park softball leagues.

The entire time he worked at Jax State, Mark grew in his own officiating.  He officiated high school football until 2008, when he became district director.  He called two state football championship games – the Class 5A championship in 1997 and the Class 6A championship in 2002.  Mark was chosen as the AHSAA Football Official of the Year in 2001.  He officiated high school basketball until 2016, including numerous regional tournament games.  He called in the girls’ state tournament as well.  Mark was the assigner for the East Alabama Basketball Officials Association and was a founding member of the Mt. Cheaha Basketball Officials Association.  Mark and his friend Phillip Collie helped develop the current AHSAA Regional Basketball Tournament format, and when the tournament was awarded to Jacksonville State, he became tournament director for many years.  In all, Mark actively officiated high school sports in Alabama for 37 years.  He also officiated women’s college basketball in the Gulf South Conference and the Trans-America Athletic Conference from 1989-96.

In 2016, AHSAA Director of Officials Greg Brewer retired, and Mark was selected for the job, so he moved to Montgomery.  As Director of Officials for every high school sport in the state of Alabama, Mark oversaw registration and training for all officials, assigned playoff and championship games, interpreted rules, and served on the rules committee for the National Federation of High Schools.  As a member of that committee, he implemented the rule in football for penalties under 2:00 in the game, the offended team had the option to start the clock on the ready for play or the snap.  At the state level, Mark implemented the rule for instant replay in playoffs and championships. He was responsible for bracketing the playoffs in all sports and helped changed confusing language for home and away teams.

In 2020 amid the COVID pandemic, Mark decided to retire and moved back to Jacksonville, where he currently works part-time in the JSU Athletic Department. He served two terms on the Jacksonville City Council from 2008-2016, the last four years as Council President.  He has been inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame.  In 2016-17 he received the Jimmy Bryan Award for his service to Jacksonville State Athletics.