Derrick Davis | The Valdosta Daily TimesValdosta assistant coaches celebrate a Class 6A semifinal victory against Dalton last Friday.

VALDOSTA — If any school understands the importance of good coaching, it’s Valdosta High.

Wright Bazemore and Nick Hyder are a pair of legendary coaches that helped transform the Wildcats into the winningest football program in the nation, with 912 victories, six national championships, 23 state titles and 42 region crowns in their history.

In this city, it’s quite the accomplishment to even be mentioned in the same breath as Bazemore or Hyder, but current Valdosta head coach Alan Rodemaker and his staff could begin laying the groundwork of their own legacy in Friday’s Class 6A state championship game against Tucker.

Twenty-one of the Wildcats’ state titles were won under the guidance of either Bazemore or Hyder, with Mike O’Brien and Bobby Marks splitting the other two.

It’s just Rodemaker’s first season as the ’Cats’ head coach, after serving six seasons as the defensive coordinator under Rance Gillespie, but he’s already experienced more success than all but four coaches in Valdosta history thanks to an important lesson he learned at his previous stint as the head coach at Peach County — hire a staff of quality assistants and let them work.

“I learned from the first time I was head coach, back in the early 2000s at Peach, you better delegate,” Rodemaker said Tuesday. “You never know, when you delegate anything, if it’s going to be done as good as you would do it, but you can’t do everything…

“We’ve been real fortunate that the guys I’ve hired are professionals. They’ve all done their jobs really well.”

Rodemaker was hired in February and he began piecing his staff together soon after, but the unit has come together quickly in its first season together, partially because of how close they’ve grown as a family.

The Wildcats’ coaching staff genuinely enjoys spending time with each other and their team, which makes the grind necessary to become a successful football team much easier to endure.

“When you spend that much time with each other, you’re probably either going to beat each other up or learn to love each other,” defensive line coach DeMario Jones said Tuesday, followed by a laugh. “We never had that problem. From Day 1 going forward, we’ve kind of always been on the same page, and if we’re not on the same page, at least before we get done meeting, we’re going to be on the same page.

“We all just genuinely care about each other, and that’s what makes this week kind of bittersweet to a point. You know you’re nearing the end to enjoy a special time with these kids.”

Jones was part of the coaching staff last year under Gillespie, along with offensive line coach Matt Winslette, linebackers coach Ryan Branch and running back coach Jason King (although in a different capacity), but he feels like he’s known newcomers like defensive coordinator Adam Carter, wide receiver coach Israel Troupe, tight ends coach Thomas Reese, defensive ends coach Stacey Duckworth and defensive backs coach Kendall Lacey for his entire life.

In the case of first-year offensive coordinator Tucker Pruitt, he and Jones were already close from their playing days at Valdosta State University.

On the practice field, in meetings and on the sidelines Friday nights, its easy to see how close the Valdosta coaching staff is, and that kind of example rubs off on the players.

“They see that we have such a great bond with each other and that we like being around each other,” King said. “I think we have something special growing here, and I think the kids realize that. They see, if we enjoy it, and we’re getting after it in practice like they are, it makes them it more enjoyable for everybody.”

If you need an example of how tight-knit the Wildcats, coaches and players, have grown this season, look no further than last Friday’s semifinal victory against Dalton.

The entire Valdosta sideline exploded the second officials signaled touchdown on a 20-yard touchdown pass to defensive end-turn-tight end Devonnsha Maxwell in the second quarter. Once defensive back Jaelyn Temple made the game-clinching interception, his position coach Lacey was on the field jumping up and down celebrating with him.

The Wildcats coaching staff isn’t just a close staff though, it’s a good staff full of smart, hard-working coaches that make life easier for Rodemaker.

The title of head coach comes with a lot of bureaucratic responsibilities, but Rodemaker’s been able to comfortably delegate some of those duties because of the confidence he has in his coaches.

In addition to on-field responsibilities, Jones acts as the Wildcats’ director of football operations and handles the team’s agendas and itineraries; Winslette takes care of the weight room and the team’s offseason conditioning and Duckworth handles the equipment room.

Just this week, Branch drove to Atlanta for a recruiting showcase Monday morning, drove back to Valdosta for practice, then went right back up to Atlanta again for another recruiting event before returning for Tuesday’s practice.

The entire Wildcat coaching staff is willing to do whatever is necessary to take care of each other and the football team, which is why they’ll find themselves patrolling the sidelines of the Georgia Dome on Friday.

“All of us are just like brothers, we have arguments and disagreements, things like that when we’re meeting, but we always find a way to come together,” Jones said. “The staff that you’re going to see on Friday nights are unified. Our kids are a testament to how we are; our kids they love each other.

“Weeks ago, when we played Houston, we had to comeback and I think we truly found out about our football team. I think we knew there was something special about this group, but I think we truly found out about this football team.”

Derrick Davis is a sports reporter at the Valdosta Daily Times.