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09-28-2021, 09:23 PM
I am proud of my State tonight. The outpouring of love and support has been amazing. Thank you all.
09-28-2021, 09:36 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-28-2021, 09:37 PM by BEChargers.)
Prayers for the entire JC family. So sad.
09-28-2021, 11:00 PM
Prayers for the family and community. Coach matney loved the kids from mountains. Good coach, great guy. Heavy heats here from Rock
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
09-28-2021, 11:17 PM
I spoke to Jim once and he was kind to me and spoke to me like he had known me for years. That says a lot about a person. Though I never knew him personally, you could tell from 15 mins down the road that the people of Johnson County absolutely loved and adored this man. Not just because of winning and trophies, but because of who he was as a man and leader in the community.
He will be deeply missed by many. I hate this for his wife and two boys. I hate it for his players, friends, the Johnson Central, Sheldon Clark, and Belfry communities that loved him and helped shape him into the respected man he was.
RIP to a coaching legend and may God be with his family and all those affected by this loss.
He will be deeply missed by many. I hate this for his wife and two boys. I hate it for his players, friends, the Johnson Central, Sheldon Clark, and Belfry communities that loved him and helped shape him into the respected man he was.
RIP to a coaching legend and may God be with his family and all those affected by this loss.
09-28-2021, 11:21 PM
(09-28-2021, 09:23 PM)Old guy Wrote: I am proud of my State tonight. The outpouring of love and support has been amazing. Thank you all.
Coach Matney’s name carries a lot of weight, proven winner and true man of Christ, heaven got a heavy hitter today, a true soldier for the Lord. High school football in Kentucky just lost one of the all time greats, if there wasn’t goal posts on the other side of those pearl gates there will be soon….
09-28-2021, 11:24 PM
Prayers for the family and friends.
09-29-2021, 12:58 AM
I actually haven’t been on this site for quite awhile. So long ago that I forgot my old user and password, so I created a new so I could post about Coach Matney. This may be a long one folks!
As an official in the NEKFOA for almost 20 years, I feel like Coach Matney was a friend. Although I never hung out with Coach outside of football except for rules clinics and seeing each in passing, I feel as though I have lost a friend. My football relationship with him dates back to his days at Sheldon Clark and continued until I officiated his 2018 KHSAA Championship game against Franklin-Simpson. As you can probably imagine, we have been in some very heated conversations through years. He was so passionate about the game!! You fill find very few people that love the game like he did. It was in his BLOOD! Our relationship changed through the years as I developed as an official. The early Sheldon Clark years, he was in my ear constantly!!! He knew that I was a young official and he was always trying to get any competitive advantage. Lol. So, he definitely worked me on the sidelines and probably got a call or two due to my inexperience. As I got older, he moved on but our battles continued. I know that he chased our crew off the field at halftime several times! I’m sure he told me that I was never welcomed back to his stadium again. He told many officials/crews that over the years. As I became a Referee, I began to appreciate the man behind all the screaming. When you slide on the white hat, the conversations are different. The intensity of the conversations are the same, however the true meaning is revealed in those conversations. The conversations that are difficult to master as an official. But Coach Matney let his feeling show in those conversations. He would always end his argument with ……..my boys! This is about MY BOYS or MY TEAM. He loved those kids so much that he would argue to the ends of the earth if he believed their was a single chance that it would help his boys. Some of the arguments he presented were crazy and he was smart enough to know it but he put himself out there for his boys and his team. He loved every single one of those kids! From Sheldon Clark to Johnson Central! He saw those kids as an extension of myself and he was going to do anything and everything he could to make those boys winners! Man…. You gotta respect that. After years of having crazy arguments with him, I finally felt as though I understood his perspective. Now, that doesn’t mean that I agreed with him but I understood him. I understood what he was fighting for. That’s the kind of Leader of men that we need now!
Fast forward a few years. I moved to Northern Kentucky and took and new job. I continued to officiate but in a née association. I was lucky enough to be selected to officiate my finals in 2018 from a new association. My assignment this time around …Franklin-Simpson vs Johnson Central and Coach Matney. I was eager to see familiar faces from JC and it did not disappoint. It was good to see a familiar face on the sidelines at Kroger Field and Coach was in the zone! I made it a point to go talk to him prior to the game and he was amazing. One thing with Coach, when he spoke to you, he was invested in that conversation. We caught up for a few moments prior to kickoff and I will never forget that talk. It was like we were both amazed at the paths we had been blessed with that had placed us on the field that day. From back at the start at Sheldon Clark to Kroger Stadium for the ultimate game in 4A! It was truly a special conversation that I will never forget.
As for the game, I actually had a flag for a BSB that resulted in a TD being called back after a long punt return. He was NOT HAPPY! He argued for his boys and did what Coach Matney did, he stood up for his players, whether right or wrong sometimes. Now, he knew it was a foul by rule but he was going to stand up for his boys, just like he had done a million times before over the years. Johnson Central would go on to lose that game by 2 points.
I will never forget my final interaction with Coach Matney. He was pretty upset after I made that call to take the TD off the board. We argued for several minutes about it and I knew deep down that he knew it was the correct call. After everything had settled and several minutes after that play, He walked up behind me, slapped me on the butt, and said …..”It’s really good see you here”.
That was Coach Matney! He was the truest definition of the word COACH! I will cherish the time that I got to spend with him during our games together. He is a true LEGEND and an All Time great coach in Kentucky. Prayers to the Matney family!! He touched so many lives and his impact will be felt for generations. Prayers to the Johnson Central community as you grieve and try to move on to replace this amazing man. RIP Coach Matney!! You are a true LEGEND in Kentucky HS Football.
As an official in the NEKFOA for almost 20 years, I feel like Coach Matney was a friend. Although I never hung out with Coach outside of football except for rules clinics and seeing each in passing, I feel as though I have lost a friend. My football relationship with him dates back to his days at Sheldon Clark and continued until I officiated his 2018 KHSAA Championship game against Franklin-Simpson. As you can probably imagine, we have been in some very heated conversations through years. He was so passionate about the game!! You fill find very few people that love the game like he did. It was in his BLOOD! Our relationship changed through the years as I developed as an official. The early Sheldon Clark years, he was in my ear constantly!!! He knew that I was a young official and he was always trying to get any competitive advantage. Lol. So, he definitely worked me on the sidelines and probably got a call or two due to my inexperience. As I got older, he moved on but our battles continued. I know that he chased our crew off the field at halftime several times! I’m sure he told me that I was never welcomed back to his stadium again. He told many officials/crews that over the years. As I became a Referee, I began to appreciate the man behind all the screaming. When you slide on the white hat, the conversations are different. The intensity of the conversations are the same, however the true meaning is revealed in those conversations. The conversations that are difficult to master as an official. But Coach Matney let his feeling show in those conversations. He would always end his argument with ……..my boys! This is about MY BOYS or MY TEAM. He loved those kids so much that he would argue to the ends of the earth if he believed their was a single chance that it would help his boys. Some of the arguments he presented were crazy and he was smart enough to know it but he put himself out there for his boys and his team. He loved every single one of those kids! From Sheldon Clark to Johnson Central! He saw those kids as an extension of myself and he was going to do anything and everything he could to make those boys winners! Man…. You gotta respect that. After years of having crazy arguments with him, I finally felt as though I understood his perspective. Now, that doesn’t mean that I agreed with him but I understood him. I understood what he was fighting for. That’s the kind of Leader of men that we need now!
Fast forward a few years. I moved to Northern Kentucky and took and new job. I continued to officiate but in a née association. I was lucky enough to be selected to officiate my finals in 2018 from a new association. My assignment this time around …Franklin-Simpson vs Johnson Central and Coach Matney. I was eager to see familiar faces from JC and it did not disappoint. It was good to see a familiar face on the sidelines at Kroger Field and Coach was in the zone! I made it a point to go talk to him prior to the game and he was amazing. One thing with Coach, when he spoke to you, he was invested in that conversation. We caught up for a few moments prior to kickoff and I will never forget that talk. It was like we were both amazed at the paths we had been blessed with that had placed us on the field that day. From back at the start at Sheldon Clark to Kroger Stadium for the ultimate game in 4A! It was truly a special conversation that I will never forget.
As for the game, I actually had a flag for a BSB that resulted in a TD being called back after a long punt return. He was NOT HAPPY! He argued for his boys and did what Coach Matney did, he stood up for his players, whether right or wrong sometimes. Now, he knew it was a foul by rule but he was going to stand up for his boys, just like he had done a million times before over the years. Johnson Central would go on to lose that game by 2 points.
I will never forget my final interaction with Coach Matney. He was pretty upset after I made that call to take the TD off the board. We argued for several minutes about it and I knew deep down that he knew it was the correct call. After everything had settled and several minutes after that play, He walked up behind me, slapped me on the butt, and said …..”It’s really good see you here”.
That was Coach Matney! He was the truest definition of the word COACH! I will cherish the time that I got to spend with him during our games together. He is a true LEGEND and an All Time great coach in Kentucky. Prayers to the Matney family!! He touched so many lives and his impact will be felt for generations. Prayers to the Johnson Central community as you grieve and try to move on to replace this amazing man. RIP Coach Matney!! You are a true LEGEND in Kentucky HS Football.
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09-29-2021, 01:15 AM
I just want to express my condolences to Jim’s family, friends, Johnson Central school district and Community. Kentucky lost a high school coaching legend and a family lost a loved one.
RIP Coach Jim Matney. I’m sure Jim will be coaching from heaven Just like all the other high school coaching legends who have been lost over the years.
RIP Coach Jim Matney. I’m sure Jim will be coaching from heaven Just like all the other high school coaching legends who have been lost over the years.
09-29-2021, 10:55 AM
It’s no secret that I wasn’t a huge fan of Coach Matney for the longest time, but I respected him and what he has done for the kids of Johnson County. He IS Johnson Central Football. He built a program that was on the verge of being nonexistent. He took over a program that schools would schedule for their homecoming game or Senior night to get an easy win. That same program now has trouble filling their schedule cause teams don’t wanna take a loss. There was never any doubt that Johnson County had the athletes to compete at the state level, they just needed someone who could get them out and make them believers of themselves. Matney did that. I have many friends that played at SC and JC, great guys. They all give Coach Matney credit for helping mold them into the men they have become. It was evident last night at 7:30 how big of an impact he had, not only in Eastern Kentucky, but state wide. Stadiums lit up from one end of the state to the other. I have never wore black and gold in my entire life, but I today, tomorrow and Friday night, to honor Coach Jim Matney.
Thoughts and prayers are with Jim, his wife and kids, the JC football team, wrestling team, the entire JC community, Martin County community, Pond Creek Nation, his former players and everyone else he had an impact on.
Thoughts and prayers are with Jim, his wife and kids, the JC football team, wrestling team, the entire JC community, Martin County community, Pond Creek Nation, his former players and everyone else he had an impact on.
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09-29-2021, 12:45 PM
(09-29-2021, 12:58 AM)SnapTackleBack Wrote: I actually haven’t been on this site for quite awhile. So long ago that I forgot my old user and password, so I created a new so I could post about Coach Matney. This may be a long one folks!Thanks for posting this. Awesome!!!!
As an official in the NEKFOA for almost 20 years, I feel like Coach Matney was a friend. Although I never hung out with Coach outside of football except for rules clinics and seeing each in passing, I feel as though I have lost a friend. My football relationship with him dates back to his days at Sheldon Clark and continued until I officiated his 2018 KHSAA Championship game against Franklin-Simpson. As you can probably imagine, we have been in some very heated conversations through years. He was so passionate about the game!! You fill find very few people that love the game like he did. It was in his BLOOD! Our relationship changed through the years as I developed as an official. The early Sheldon Clark years, he was in my ear constantly!!! He knew that I was a young official and he was always trying to get any competitive advantage. Lol. So, he definitely worked me on the sidelines and probably got a call or two due to my inexperience. As I got older, he moved on but our battles continued. I know that he chased our crew off the field at halftime several times! I’m sure he told me that I was never welcomed back to his stadium again. He told many officials/crews that over the years. As I became a Referee, I began to appreciate the man behind all the screaming. When you slide on the white hat, the conversations are different. The intensity of the conversations are the same, however the true meaning is revealed in those conversations. The conversations that are difficult to master as an official. But Coach Matney let his feeling show in those conversations. He would always end his argument with ……..my boys! This is about MY BOYS or MY TEAM. He loved those kids so much that he would argue to the ends of the earth if he believed their was a single chance that it would help his boys. Some of the arguments he presented were crazy and he was smart enough to know it but he put himself out there for his boys and his team. He loved every single one of those kids! From Sheldon Clark to Johnson Central! He saw those kids as an extension of myself and he was going to do anything and everything he could to make those boys winners! Man…. You gotta respect that. After years of having crazy arguments with him, I finally felt as though I understood his perspective. Now, that doesn’t mean that I agreed with him but I understood him. I understood what he was fighting for. That’s the kind of Leader of men that we need now!
Fast forward a few years. I moved to Northern Kentucky and took and new job. I continued to officiate but in a née association. I was lucky enough to be selected to officiate my finals in 2018 from a new association. My assignment this time around …Franklin-Simpson vs Johnson Central and Coach Matney. I was eager to see familiar faces from JC and it did not disappoint. It was good to see a familiar face on the sidelines at Kroger Field and Coach was in the zone! I made it a point to go talk to him prior to the game and he was amazing. One thing with Coach, when he spoke to you, he was invested in that conversation. We caught up for a few moments prior to kickoff and I will never forget that talk. It was like we were both amazed at the paths we had been blessed with that had placed us on the field that day. From back at the start at Sheldon Clark to Kroger Stadium for the ultimate game in 4A! It was truly a special conversation that I will never forget.
As for the game, I actually had a flag for a BSB that resulted in a TD being called back after a long punt return. He was NOT HAPPY! He argued for his boys and did what Coach Matney did, he stood up for his players, whether right or wrong sometimes. Now, he knew it was a foul by rule but he was going to stand up for his boys, just like he had done a million times before over the years. Johnson Central would go on to lose that game by 2 points.
I will never forget my final interaction with Coach Matney. He was pretty upset after I made that call to take the TD off the board. We argued for several minutes about it and I knew deep down that he knew it was the correct call. After everything had settled and several minutes after that play, He walked up behind me, slapped me on the butt, and said …..”It’s really good see you here”.
That was Coach Matney! He was the truest definition of the word COACH! I will cherish the time that I got to spend with him during our games together. He is a true LEGEND and an All Time great coach in Kentucky. Prayers to the Matney family!! He touched so many lives and his impact will be felt for generations. Prayers to the Johnson Central community as you grieve and try to move on to replace this amazing man. RIP Coach Matney!! You are a true LEGEND in Kentucky HS Football.
09-29-2021, 01:23 PM
I haven't been active this year but I had to come to pay my respects to a Belfry Legend (player), a coaching legend (Sheldon Clark, Johnson Central). My dad graduated Belfry with Jim and I lost him back in June. My heart goes out to Jim's family, players, and friends. I truly hope he is honored properly at the annual game with Belfry this year.
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09-29-2021, 05:39 PM
He will be missed badly, he done so much for my son and all the Central boys. Praying for his family Great man such an inspiration to the JC family
09-29-2021, 10:38 PM
(09-29-2021, 01:23 PM)AtlPirateFan Wrote: I haven't been active this year but I had to come to pay my respects to a Belfry Legend (player), a coaching legend (Sheldon Clark, Johnson Central). My dad graduated Belfry with Jim and I lost him back in June. My heart goes out to Jim's family, players, and friends. I truly hope he is honored properly at the annual game with Belfry this year.
Sorry about your loss.
09-30-2021, 04:41 PM
Coach Matney obituary and funeral arrangements:
https://www.callahamfuneralhome.com/m/ob...2/Memories
https://www.callahamfuneralhome.com/m/ob...2/Memories
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