FOR MANY years, sports fans of Coffee County have looked forward to the annual Coffee Pot game as Manchester and Tullahoma battle for bragging rights and the Coffee Pot trophy. It has been a tradition for almost 100 years, said Coffee County Central High School (CCCHS) co-athletic director Brandon McWhorter.
“We play it every year,” McWhorter said. “It’s just the biggest rivalry that we have in this town.”
McWhorter shared that the Coffee Pot game is not just a regular football game, it’s one of the oldest rivalries in the state of Tennessee. At CCCHS, the event is led up to by a week of spirit days and smaller competitions, and it is featured in the Great American Rivalry series. It is a community event, and the atmosphere shows it.
“It’s just… it’s one of those games that it’s always packed, it doesn’t matter the rank of the teams, it doesn’t matter how good or bad they are,” McWhorter said. “I think that’s really what it is, it’s Manchester versus Tullahoma.”
Coffee Pot is one of the most popular games of the year, with thousands cheering in the stands. Former student player and coach Stan Jarrell said that support is important to the student athletes.
“When you play sports, it is an opportunity for the community to rally around the athletic programs,” Jarrell said. “The people of Coffee County have always supported their athletic teams and always will do so.”
Jarrell played in the Coffee Pot game in 1968, 69, and 70, and said the support and pride those games bring is at a higher level, because the opponent is in the same county.
“As an athlete, you want to always do your best and win as much as possible, but when you play the Coffee Pot game you dig a little deeper and play a little harder,” Jarrell said.
While all of these traditions continue, there are still changes for sports fans. CCCHS has begun using The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to stream games, with a partnership that allows 10% of the subscription fee to go to the sports program. “This is going to be something kind of new,” McWhorter said. “I know everybody can’t get to games, for whatever various reasons, so this gives them an opportunity to continue to watch our athletes.”
At the same time, the high school program has retired the jersey of Alontae Taylor, current NFL cornerback for the New Orleans Saints. Taylor played for CCCHS and created several school records.
“We try to retire players who… have an impact not only while they were here, but as they get out,” McWhorter said. “This young man has definitely had an impact. He’s representing our school very well.” GN
