James Hobbs - 1993

James Hobbs was born in Athens, Alabama, the son of Mary Hobbs now of Decatur and the late Charles T. Hobbs.  He attended school in the Limestone County School System and was graduated from East Limestone High School. 

Hobbs was a member of the First Basketball Team recruited by john C Calhoun State Community College Warhawk basketball coach Bob Shuttleworth.  He quickly established himself as a player “who could find a way to win”. 

The most valuable player on the team as a sophomore, Hobbs was named to the Alabama Junior Community College Conference All-State Team.  He had averaged 16.9 points per game as a sophomore and finished with a career average of 14.6 points per game.  He led the Warhawks in scoring during both of his years on the team. 

Excelling in other activities as well as basketball, Hobbs was named to receive the “Albert P. Brewer Award”, given annually to the college’s most outstanding student.  He had served as the Vice-President of the Student Council and was a member of a group instrumental in organizing the first Homecoming gathering.   

Hobbs signed a basketball scholarship with the University of Montevallo.  After his first season he won all of the five awards given out to members of the tea.  He was also named to the Alabama intercollegiate Conference All-Conference Team after his junior and senior years.  After graduation he remained at the University of Montevallo as a graduate assistant and received the Master’s Degree in Education. 

After a year of coaching at E. B. Erwin High School in Birmingham, Hobbs became the basketball coach at Northeast State Junior College in Rainsville for the next two years.  He then moved to Gadsden State Junior College for the next two years. 

In the fall of 1977 Hobbs headed for Jacksonville State University, where he has been the assistant basketball coach for the past 16 years.  Taking over as golf coach in 1978, his teams have posted an 820-351-9 record.  They have finished among the top ten in the nation on five occasions. 

Hobbs is married to the former Sandra Melton.  They have two sons, Zachary, 14 and Hunter, 10.