Bay Springs welcomes new coach

By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
Jan. 9, 2002
The football program at Bay Springs High School has a new leader. Cecil Hicks has been promoted to head coach, the school confirmed Tuesday morning.
Hicks, 35, served as the Bulldogs' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. Bay Springs went 8-4 and advanced to the second round of the Class 2A playoffs before falling to Taylorsville.
Hicks, a Laurel native, said he was excited about becoming a head coach at Bay Springs. He also served eight years as an assistant coach at Riverdale School in Georgia.
Stil, I think we have a lot of quality coming back both in the line and in the backfield. The biggest difference is that we're not going to be as deep as last year," he said.
After graduating from Watkins High in Laurel, Hicks played two years at Jones Junior College where he was an All-State, All-Star for the Bobcats. He then went on to play two years at the senior college level at Division II Washburn College in Topeka, Kan. At Washburn, Hicks was named All-Conference.
The Bulldogs will probably begin spring practice sometime in April.
Hicks is married to Melody Hicks, a teacher at Jones Middle. They reside in Bay Springs.