Ron Mitchell (coach) facts for kids
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Mitchell, circa 1965
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 29, 1938 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Kentucky State College |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1968 | Boston University (freshmen) |
| 1969–1971 | Boston University (defensive coordinator) |
| 1982 | Kentucky State (interim HC) |
| 1985 | Alabama State (interim HC) |
| Men's basketball | |
| 1968–? | Boston University (freshmen) |
| 1971–1974 | Boston University |
| 1974–1976 | Grinnell |
| 1981–1982 | Kentucky State |
| Women's basketball | |
| 1980–1981 | Kentucky State (interim HC) |
| 1986–1998 | Alabama State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 3–13 (football) 53–88 (men's basketball) |
Ron Mitchell, born on September 29, 1938, is a famous American coach. He coached both college football and college basketball teams. He also coached women's basketball.
Early Life and Education
Ron Mitchell grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Crane High School there. At high school, he was the captain of both the basketball and football teams. After high school, he played both college basketball and college football at Kentucky State College. He also served in the United States Army at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. In 1967, he earned a master's degree from Indiana University. His degree was in health, physical education, and recreation.
Coaching Career Highlights
Ron Mitchell made history at Boston University. In 1968, he became the first African American to get a full-time sports job there. He started as an assistant coach for both football and basketball.
Just a few years later, in 1971, he made history again. He became the first African American to be a head basketball coach for a major college program. This was also at Boston University.
Coaching Different Sports
Mitchell was a head coach in three different college sports. He coached men's basketball, women's basketball, and football.
- Men's Basketball: He was the head men's basketball coach at Boston University from 1971 to 1974. He then coached at Grinnell College from 1974 to 1976. Later, he coached at Kentucky State University for one season in 1981–82.
- Women's Basketball: In 1980–81, he was the interim head women's basketball coach at Kentucky State. An "interim" coach is someone who takes over temporarily. His team won the 1981 NAIA women's basketball championship that year. Because of this big win, Mitchell was named the NAIA Coach of the Year. He later became the head women's basketball coach at Alabama State University. He coached there from 1986 to 1998.
- Football: Mitchell also coached college football. He was the interim head football coach at Kentucky State for the last five games of the 1982 season. He also served as the interim head football coach at Alabama State for the entire 1985 season.
