The Faith of the Blind Coach. Nathaniel Farley Jr.
to Be Successful
It was said that Coach Small helped many a coach get their football programs started, such as Coach Julian Walton of Northwestern Junior/Senior High School in Jacksonville, Florida. Coach Small gave some of his practice uniforms and equipment to Coach Walton to get his football program started. It was said by Coach Small to me that he got his practice uniforms from coaches of Robert E. Lee and Landon High Schools for an exchange of knowledge, not finances. He had to teach them a football formation called the Wing T.
Coach Small started the athlete program at Stanton in 1935, so he had an obligation to help someone else. (“If I can help someone along the way, then my living will not be in vain.”) So he told me to do the same thing once I am able to help someone along my journey as a person, a teacher, and a coach.
He got equipment and different colors of uniforms from two different high schools: Robert E. Lee High School and Landon High School (which is now a middle school). He told me about how he got started at Stanton, and he reminded me, “Always give back or help someone else.” He explained to me the deal he made with those high school coaches during his beginning. He agreed to teach them how to run the Single Wing Offense. This was an offense that teams knew how to use, so in return, they would give him equipment and practice uniforms. There was no money exchanged, only equipment and knowledge.
There was another time Coach Small showed his integrity and respect for other coaches for their accomplishments in the state of Florida, mainly in Duval County. There was a phone call from Coach Small to Coach Ray Moore, who was the head basketball coach of Andrew Jackson High School in 1971. Coach Ray Moore and I were both coaching at Edward H. White High School in 1972, and Coach Ray Moore told me, as he was preparing to play in the state basketball playoffs, he received a phone call from only one coach to encourage him to let him know who he was and saying to him, “We are all Jackson Tigers this weekend. Good luck!” That was the kind of man Coach Small was. He believed in supporting any coach and school that was representing the Jacksonville, Florida, community in any sport in playoffs.
Coach James P. “Bubbling” Small touched many lives in thirty-four years of coaching. As a student athlete, Coach Small played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track at Stanton High school from 1926 to 1929.
There was an article in the Florida Times Union Newspaper on March 6, 1966 titled “Recognition Given to Coach J. P. Small” by Vivienne E. Hicks.
He wrote,
Congratulations are in-order for Coach James P. Small, Head Director of the Physical Education Department at New Stanton High School, for exceptionally meritorious service in the Duval County Public School.” Mr. Small attended the public schools in this city, received this B.S. Degree in Physical Education at FAMC in 1933 (Now known as Florida A & M University). He did his graduate work at Ohio State University where he received his Master Degree. He began his teaching and coaching career at Franklin Elementary School which changed to Matthew W. Gilbert in 1933.
Coach Small was transferred to Stanton High School in 1934. During the first 10 years of his employment, he served as a regular teacher and coached all athletic activities at Stanton, namely, football, basketball, track and baseball. In additional to these assignments, Coach Small organized and instructed a drill team for girls, also worked with the cheerleader squad. He voluntarily organized the first band at Stanton and served as bandmaster for nine years without remuneration.
In recognition of Coach Small has been widespread. His excellent teaching and community relationship, that he was fortunate enough to secure uniforms and instruments for the band, which was the first Negro band to participate in the Governor’s Inaugural Parade.
In 1943, he assisted in the organization of Stanton’s Physical Education Department, under the principalship of F. J. Anderson. His service to the school and community included: Chairman and coach of the benefit bowl game to raise funds for the needy member of Curriculum Revision Committee of the county, representing Negro Schools in areas of Physical Education, organizer of the Florida Interscholastic Coaches Association, serving as president for five years, organizer of the All-Star games in football and basketball in the state, coach of the North Squad, and a member of many other organizations.
Some of his recognitions and awards he received were: Big 12 Conference “Coach of the Year,” “A Meritorious Award” in Athletics and Basketball; “FIAA J.B. Bragg’s Meritorious Award in Athletics,” “Civic Leader Award” in the State of Florida Times-Union Newspaper “Coach of the Year Award.
In 1965, he was honored by the New Stanton Administration and Students Body for “Outstanding Service as Teacher and Coach.” A testimony banquet was held at the George Washington Hotel for 22 years of “Humanitarian Service.”
He was a member in the NEA Florida State Teaches Association, National Health and Physical Education Association, Duval County Teachers Association, Duval County Classroom Association, The Florida Interscholastic Coaches Association, Florida Game Official Association, Duval Game Official Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Westside Improvement League for the community.
He is not a Nobel Prize Winner, but deserves all the honors given to a Nobel Prize Winner, having coached some of the local high school coaches, namely Coach Earl Kitchings, Coach Nathaniel Washington, Coach John J. Coleman, Coach Ike Grayson, Coach Oscar Norman, Hillie Howard, Coach Edwin Lawson, Coach Wallace Rasberry, Coach Oliver Walker, Coach Melvin Crawford, Coach Jimmy Johnson, and me (Nathaniel Farley) just to name a few.
Coach Small also laid the foundation for Coach Acosta Kittles, Coach Hansel Tookes, Coach Robert Mungin and Coach Bobby Lane, all of them were employed at Florida A & M University, and all of them are retired.
Others who were coached under the leadership of Coach James P. “Bubbling” Small were: Dr. Jean Downing, Dr. J. Henderson, Dr. A. Giradeau (who passed in October 2017), Dr. Rev. Eugene White, band instructor at Northwestern Junior High School; Mrs. Norman S. White, band instructor at Darnell-Cookman; Daniel Roux, Douglas Anderson (band-master) and Charles Maxwell, band instructor at Stanton Vocational.
About his retirement, he stated in the article, “‘I have many more years to go before I retire,’ said Coach Small. ‘I haven’t considering retirement for several years.’”
On March 6, 1966, another article was written by sportswriter Vivienne E. Hicks titled “Recognition Given to Coach James P. Small.” He remarked about his success, “My years of success, would not have been possible if it hadn’t been for God, the parents, teachers, and those who were my assistant coaches that helped in maintaining any credit for my success. They also deserved the credit for my success.”
In 1973, Coach Small was being considered as a candidate for the Hall of Fame Inductee at the Florida High School Athletic Coaches Association (FHSACA) in Ocala, Florida, for the banquet and dinner. He asked my mother would she allow me to go with him, his wife (Mrs. Lillian Small), and Coach Earl Kitchings to attend the banquet in Ocala, Florida, and she said yes. It was a pleasure and an honor that he wanted me to go. After his death in 1975, he was inducted into the twelfth annual Florida High School Athletic Coaches Association on March 20, 1988.
Introduction to Real Life/ Responsibilities/Consequences and Lessons Learned under Coach Small
Consequences and Lessons Learned Under Coach Small
My first encounter and opportunity to meet Coach Small was on August 15, 1962, the first day of football practice. I was wearing 137 pounds at that time. After a week of practice, Coach Small called me into his office to talk to me about going into the band. Coach Small said to me, “The best place for you would be in the band. Football is not a small man’s game.” What? The band?! I was shocked, but he was as honest with me as he had been with all those who were my size. Most left, but I refused to leave or quit. I told him respectfully, “I didn’t come here to play in the band. I came here to play football for New Stanton Senior High School and for you, not to be in the band. Plus, I don’t know anything about playing in the band. My neighborhood had a lot of football players. (First lesson learned from my neighborhood: never quit or give up.)
I went out as