Julius Collie Tampa, FL

My name is Julius Collie.  I am a native of Tampa, Florida, born on March 21, 1950.  At the early age of ten, living in the West Tampa projects, I developed the love for football.  I participated by playing youth football at Edge Water playground, under the leadership of the City of Tampa. After participating for approximately three years, my eyes and dreams were set for playing for Howard W. Blake High School.  Friday nights became a regular at Phillip Field, watching all of my heroes play the game I loved so much. I even started attending Blake practices, observing the team spirit that made them winners.

 Once I started ninth grade I immediately signed up for junior varsity.  I could never forget the feeling of my first day in a real locker room and having an opportunity to play for a respected school.  I worked very hard and earned a starting position as running back.  After my ninth grad year, I was moved to  varsity where I had the honor of playing for the legendary coach Big Jim Williams and Abraham Brown.  I played both offense and defense earning a starting position as left half back my tenth grade year.  During my three years on varsity I earned such honors as “Best Running Back”, “Best All Around Player” and Captain my senior year in which we beat Middleton High School, a fierce competitor, for the city championship.

 Upon graduation in 1968, I was awarded a four year football scholarship at Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama.  I started my freshman year as a flanker and was given the nick name, Tampa Tornado.  After playing for four years and earning a B. A. degree in Sociology, I returned to Tampa, Florida and was hired by the City of Tampa and remained there for  thirty years.  I started coaching youth football in 1980 with the Tampa Eagles organization under the leadership of the Boys and Girls Club.  I started as an assistant coach and after six years was given the opportunity to be head coach of the varsity.  During my twenty-five years with the eagles along with great assistant coaches, we managed to win sixteen super bowls.  Unfortunately, in 2006, the Tampa Eagles Organization which was housed within the Ybor City Boys and Girls Club closed for renovation.  After leaving the Boys and Girls Club, I was asked to be head coach of a new team called the Grant Park Tigers, which was under the leadership of Unity Youth Football Conference.

 In Conclusion, I am currently coaching under Unity Youth Football Conference.  Coaching youth football has always been a passion for me.  There is no greater feeling than seeing young athletes excel in the game of football and academics.  Our young generation is our future and I truly want to be a positive mentor in the development of their adult careers.

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