Caldwell to take over as Marengo Academy football coach, headmaster

Marengo Academy has found its replacement for retiring head football coach Robby James. The Longhorns will hand the reins of the program over to Gary Caldwell.

Caldwell has found success in the AISA previously at Monroe Academy where he led the team to a 41-8 record in four seasons that included a 13-0 campaign with a state championship in 2001. Caldwell led Monroe back to the title game a season later, losing to Bessemer to cap a 10-3 campaign that saw all three losses come by a total of seven points.

Caldwell’s first head coaching job came at Wilcox Academy, where he served from 1994-1996.

Caldwell also replaced James for three seasons at Faith Academy from 2009-2011, where he went 7-23 at the AHSAA Class 5A level.

Caldwell is a 1980 graduate of Foley High where he played football, basketball and baseball. He attended Patrick Henry State Junior College where he played baseball. He finished his education at the University of South Alabama where he earned a B.S. in Physical Education and Health.

He also coached baseball and basketball at Monroe Academy. He served on the staff at Foley High prior to his Wilcox tenure. Caldwell served as the offensive line coach under James from 1996-1999 at Morgan Academy. Caldwell later served as James’ defensive coordinator at Faith Academy.

After stepping away from varsity football for three seasons, Caldwell returned as the defensive coordinator of Faith Academy for the 2014 season.

Caldwell and his wife of 26 years, Paula, also a math teacher at Faith Academy, have three children: Chris, Ashley, and Logan. Currently Chris is a Sergeant First Class in the United States Army as a Drill Sergeant. Ashley is the assistant cheerleading coach at Troy University, while pursuing her Master’s Degree. Logan is a freshmen at Faith Academy where he plays varsity football and baseball.

Caldwell served as the dean of students at Faith and will take over headmaster duties at Marengo.