Outgoing Coach Honored At Banquet
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Longtime football banquet sponsor Tommy White (left) presented retiring Blue Devil head coach Brad Embry with the first “Win Eight, Eat Steak” Award Monday night. The award was named for the longstanding motto for the annual banquet – eight winning games earns a steak dinner at the banquet and less wins means hotdogs. Although the team fell short by a game last season, White said the award was earned by Embry for a job “well done”during the last 15 years.
WATER VALLEY – The successes during the 2022 Blue Devil football season were celebrated Monday night during the annual football banquet. Typically reserved to honor the players’ commitment, the night included recognition for retiring Blue Devil head football coach Brad Embry and enthusiasm for the future of the program under the leadership of incoming head coach Clint Faust.
“I am going to call an audible,” Faust told the crowd after Embry presented the awards to the players. “We are also going to celebrate the guy who is retiring – the winningest head coach in Water Valley history. He is a great guy, a leader in this community.”
Team historian Bobby Murphee shared the impressive stats during Embry’s 15-year span as head coach at Water Valley High School.
“That is the longest coaching tenure of any Water Valley coach,” Murphree noted. “His record was 117-68, the most wins by a Water Valley coach since the program started in 1913.”
Embry was also recognized as the only Water Valley coach to win 100 or more games and to win 10 or more games for three consecutive seasons, and for the Class 3A state title earned by his team in 2018.
“It has been a fast 15 years, none of you really remember any other coach than Coach Embry,” Murphree told the players.
Dr. Steve Edwards recognized Embry’s work ethic and commitment to the team.
“In 2008 when Brad came to Water Valley, we didn’t know much about him,” Edwards said. “We knew he was from Bruce, Mississippi, which is a football-playing town. We knew he and his brother were real good football players who played in college. As a member of the community and having two sons who were playing, I was very interested in what kind of coach this kid from Bruce was going to be,” Edwards admitted.
Edwards shared that in the final months of Embry’s contract with Tupelo High School before moving to Water Valley, he started showing up.
“I was seeing him during the week, on the weekends. He had a paint brush and a hammer and nails, he had a job in Tupelo but he was coming to Water Valley to fix up the field house,” Edwards recalled. “He put pride in a dilapidated facility. I knew right then we had a coach who paid attention to details.”
Edwards noted the many hats Embry wore during his career – a painter, carpenter and plumber as he worked on the facility, and a mentor and a tutor for his players.
“That is what you have to be as a high school football coach to end up with the kind of career he had,” Edwards added as he presented Embry with a plaque of appreciation.
Although Embry will not be on the sidelines next season, he will not be far.
“I still have a son playing here, he will play here next year. I am thankful the school district hired a man like Coach Faust. I am confident in the direction of this program with Coach (Bryant) Mix by his side and excited about where we are going.”
Embry added that his new spot will be in the bleachers alongside Lenora Woodard, a longtime fan who leads the crowd with cheers from the stands during each game.
“I am going to sit by Ms. Lenora and cheer,” Embry said. “I don’t know if I can hang with her, but I am going to try.”
