Bailey in Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Wallace State Community College Athletic Director Paul Bailey will be inducted into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2023 on Saturday, July 22. 

Bailey has served as the college's Athletic Director since 2011 and has seen the college through numerous championships. 

“When Jackie (Satterfield) called, I was like, “Wow.” I wasn’t expecting it. I was not an athlete in high school. He asked me if I was All-State, and I said I was All-State in being left out. But I was really excited and thrilled," Bailey said.

Bailey is a 1970 gradaute of Hewitt-Trussville High school. He was a cheerleader at Jefferson State and an Athletic Trainer at Auburn University under coaches Joe Ciampi, Pat Dye and Sonny Smith. While at Auburn, he was part of the two SEC Championship teams. 

“One of my favorite memories was the 1986 Iron Bowl when Lawyer (Tillman) did the reverse. I was standing right there beside coach (Pat) Dye and coach (Pat) Sullivan. Scott Bolton always ran that play, and they looked out there and saw Lawyer was wanting to call a timeout. He wasn’t supposed to be out there. But coach Dye said run it, and they ran it. And he scored a touchdown to win the game.”

“Dr. (James) Bailey hated losing, and he started bringing in coaches that were winners — Dan York, Randy Putman, Larry Slater. Then Dr. Karolewics came in, and she didn’t want to lose, either. When I took over as athletic director in 2011, all I had to do was make sure they kept winning. But it was the coaches who did that. If you go out and get the right coach, they’ll bring in the right people — and you’ll win. That was already there. I just had to make sure I didn’t mess it up (laughs).”

Bailey started Sports Medicine programs ant Cullman Regional Medical Center and Wallace State. The Sports Medicine program at WSCC is a general studies transfer optoin for students seeking to work in the field. 

Source: The Cullman Times