FLOMATON, Ala. — During pre-game festivities Friday night, Flomaton High School honored four new inductees to the FHS Hall of Fame.
The Class
Those honored were Piggy Long, Ronnie Freeman, Roy Tatum and Larry Jones.
Family members of Long and Jones accepted plaques on their behalf. Freeman received his own. Tatum was not in attendance.
Ronnie Freeman
Freeman is a 1972 FHS graduate who played under Coach Leon Jackson. He went on to a 42-year career in law enforcement, and used his talent and knowledge to coach Pee Wee football for 16 years.
Sixteen years of Pee Wee coaching alongside a four-decade law enforcement career is the kind of record that defines a small-town hall of fame. The recognition is not principally about athletic achievement; it is about sustained presence in a community over decades.
A volunteer who coaches youth football for 16 seasons touches hundreds of children in a town the size of Flomaton — a meaningful share of a generation.
Why Schools Hold These Ceremonies at Football Games
Conducting the induction during pre-game festivities rather than at a separate banquet is a common and deliberate choice for schools of this size.
A Friday home game is the one evening of the week when a substantial cross-section of a small community is already assembled in one place — alumni, current students, families and former players. An honoree is recognized in front of the people the honor actually means something to, rather than in front of a ticketed dinner audience.
It also keeps the cost near zero, which matters for a program funded through a booster club.
Flomaton
Flomaton is a town in Escambia County on the Alabama-Florida line, and Flomaton High School serves as a central institution in the community. The school’s athletic teams compete in the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
Halls of fame at schools of this size typically honor a mix of former athletes, coaches, contributors and community members whose service to the school extended well beyond their own playing days — which is reflected in this class.
Additional biographical information on the other inductees was not included in the announcement. Information on the FHS Hall of Fame and its nomination process is available through Flomaton High School.