ATHLETE/COACH

1972-2020

Gary J. Strong has a playing and coaching career spanning nearly 50 years in four different sports, which began as a star basketball and baseball player at Celina High School from 1972 to 1975 and still continues today as the Clay County High School volleyball coach.

Strong received numerous awards during his playing days, including all-district, all-region, and all-mid-state honors, and he was also a part of the first Bulldog basketball team to advance to the substate.  His amazing longevity as a coach began at his alma mater as the baseball coach, and it continued as the girls and boys assistant basketball coach, the head junior high basketball coach in both Celina and Cookeville, an assistant junior high football coach, an assistant high school basketball and baseball coach at Upperman, the head basketball coach at Cookeville High School, and he has been at the helm of the Lady Bulldog volleyball team for the past 12 years.