Demopolis, American Christian game a family affair for head coaches

Demopolis head football coach Tom Causey typically talks to his brother about once a week. With football in their blood and a lifetime of memories together, conversation is not hard to come by.

This week, however, the talking points are a little different for the Causey brothers.

“You’ve got to do the normal head coach things. You’ve got to talk to each other about the way you’re dressing and which end of the field you’re on and all of that,” Tom Causey, whose Demopolis Tigers will travel to face little brother John Causey’s American Christian Academy team Friday night, said. “We normally only talk to each other once a week, but it has been more than that this week.”

The meeting marks the first time the brothers have competed against one another as head coaches and just the latest in a long line of competitions for two men who were raised winners.

“She didn’t really like it to start with. She didn’t know where she was going to sit and all that,” Tom said of his mother’s feelings regarding the game. “My mother has been watching youth league and high school football since the 60s. So she understands what’s going on Friday night. I’m sure she’d rather us not play. But it will all be over with soon.”

While there will be bragging rights on the line and neither brother wants to lose to the other Friday night, the possibility of having such a game began to take shape out of convenience rather than competition.

“He and I were talking last fall during the season. We wanted to play somebody without having to drive to Birmingham. He was looking to change the schedule,” Tom said.

Given that Demopolis and American Christian frequently play one another in soccer, softball and baseball and have recently added a volleyball matchup to their slates, the game made sense for both coaches.

“I think it will be good for both communities to do it. It’s a great opportunity for us to play a great opponent,” Causey said. “They’re going to play hard and give us a tremendous challenge and we don’t have to ride two and a half hours to play a football game.”

Tom Causey talks about American Christian like he does every other opponent. He points out its strengths, compliments its coaching staff and praises its program. The professionalism is a signature of both Causey brothers. And while Friday night will be about the business of football and well-being of the young men between the lines, Tom admits there is pride on the line.

“I don’t have Christmas dinner with any of the other nine coaches I play,” he said.