Willie Scoggins

Willie Scoggins (born July 26, 1929 - died May 27, 2008 in Birmingham) was one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in Alabama.

Scoggins was the only son of upholsterer Willie Scoggins and his wife Ruth. He attended Our Lady of Fatima Elementary School and Immaculata High School before going to Clark University in Atlanta. He returned to Birmingham and earned a bachelor of science degree at Miles College and a masters at Alabama State University. During World War II he served in the U. S. Army, and then took a job with the Postal Service.

In 1961 Scoggins was named head coach of the boy's basketball program at Hayes High School. He coached the Pacesetters to the Class 4A championship in 1974, then transferred to Ramsay High School. He only had two losing seasons at Ramsay and retired in 2001 with a total of 861 career wins. (Parker's Cap Brown retired with 891.)

Scoggins was credited by Birmingham City Schools athletic director Bill Harris as one of the primary reasons that the racial integration of the system proceeded smoothly. He served on the first integrated board of the Alabama High School Athletic Association after it merged with the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association in 1968. Later he worked as an eligibility consultant for the city school system and became a director of Nike's Grassroots amateur basketball program. He was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

Scoggins died in May 2008 after a long illness. He was survived by two daughters (Angela and Greta). one son (Marsaius), two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His funeral was held at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.

References

• Norris, Toraine (May 28, 2008) "Legendary Birmingham basketball coach Willie Scoggins passes away." Birmingham News
• Willie Scoggins Jr. obituary (June 5, 2008) Birmingham News