The high school coach is so influential in not only the physical development of the student-athlete, but perhaps more importantly, the emotional development of young men and women. Tury Oman devoted his life to coaching at Jackson High School in Jackson, Tennessee. Entering the University of Wisconsin in 1931, Oman earned seven varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball before graduating in the top ten of his class. In the fall of 1931, he was hired as head football coach and physical education teacher at Jackson High. Except for a brief hiatus from 1942 to 1945 when he entered the Coast Guard, Oman spent over forty years as coach of various teams at JHS. He compiled a record of 149-49-17 as head football coach, and under his leadership five of his teams were rated state champions. He served as head coach of boy’s basketball for thirty seasons, compiling a record of 712-192 and carrying six teams to state tournaments. As head coach of the girl’s basketball squad during seven seasons, his teams played in the state tournament three consecutive years. As baseball coach for ten seasons, Oman accumulated an impressive record of 118-29. And if all those assignments were not enough, Oman also coached track for seven seasons, at which time several of his athletes won state events. Rarely does one person give so much to one institution. Tury Oman’s influence on literally generations of athletes certainly left a legacy worthy of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
