Well, we’ve finally made it to the big dance, the championship round for the best high school coach of all time. We’ve had some awesome names on this list, acknowledging some of the best coaches in Northeast Florida. It’s not an easy decision, so that’s why we left it up to you the fans and you have turned out in record number. Thank you for supporting every coach from every sport in our area. Their countless hours of dedication to our student athletes is paramount. Yet in the end there can only be one, and we have come down to two great coaches.. Clay’s Jim Reape and Union County/ University Christian’s Robby Pruitt. Let the voting begin!
Jim Reape
For Reape to advance to the championship as a wrestling coach speaks volumes to the tremendous success he had as a coach. There is only one name that comes to mind when it comes to wrestling in the area and that is Jim Reape. The longtime coach at Clay has been the model of consistency for any sports program locally and statewide. Since taking over the program in 1994, Reape has won 18 consecutive district titles, 16 regional championships, six state runner-up finishes (1999, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017) and one state title in 2004. Reape has also had the pleasure of coaching 22 Individual State Champs, 106 State Placers and 9 Florida Times Union Wrestlers of the Year winners. Reape received the highest honor among coaches in 2016 by being voted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Robby Pruitt
Pruitt is respected by former players, opposing players fans, but most importantly fellow coaches. To be respected by one’s peers is an ultimate flattery next to imitating them, and many coaches have tried to imitate what Pruitt did. While other coaching legends won state titles with private schools, Pruitt (156-28) did the same and then the unthinkable winning several state titles with a public school as well.
At University Christian, Pruitt guided the Christians to seven straight playoff appearances, winning four state titles (87, 89, 91, 92) along with a state runner-up finish in 1990). Pruitt left UC to take over a struggling Union County program and quickly made them into a state power winning three consecutive state titles in 1994-1996 and a state record 52 consecutive victories.
He holds the state record for most consecutive district championships with 12, and has won more state football championships than any other coach in Florida high school history. He became the youngest individual to be inducted into the FHSAA Hall of Fame in 2000.
In his time at University Christian, Pruitt, who also led the Mighty Christians to a state runner-up finish in 1990, accrued such accolades as Bold City Conference Coach of the Year (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990), Florida Athletic Coaches Association Class A Coach of the Year (1987, 1989), Florida Times-Union Coach of the Year (1987), and Jacksonville Quarterback Club Coach of the Year (1989). Pruitt’s tenure at Union County produced similar results, as his honors include Gainesville Sun Coach of the Year (1994, 1995, 1996), FACA Class 3A Coach of the Year (1994, 1996, 1997), Suwannee Conference Coach of the Year (1995, 1997), FACA Florida Coach of the Year (1996), NFICA National Coach of the Year (1996), and Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year (1998).
