Ken Sparks
Encyclopedia
Ken Sparks is an American football
coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Carson–Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee
, a position he has held since 1980, and is the winningest football coach in NCAA Division II history. His Carson–Newman Eagles have won five NAIA Championships
(1983–1984, 1986, 1988–1989), and have been runners-up in the NCAA Division II playoffs
three times (1996, 1998–1999).
. He played college football
as a wide receiver
at Carson–Newman and graduated from the school in 1968. He was football coach at Gibbs High School
in Knoxville. The next year he received a master's degree from Tennessee Technological University
where he also coached quarterback
s and receivers. He coached at Morristown East High School in Morristown, Tennessee
.
In the early 1970s, Sparks was an assistant coach on the Carson–Newman football team that was a runner up in the NAIA championship game. He coached the school's track team and he was named Southern Collegiate Track Coach of the Year. In 1977 he returned to Carson-Newman where he coached the track team.
In the fall, he coached at Farragut High School
in Knoxville where he accumulated a 29–5 record. Among his players was Bill Bates
.
Following his string of successes, Carson-Newman built the new Burke–Tarr Stadium in 2005.
Sparks, who was once Fellowship of Christian Athletes
National Coach of the Year, actively pursues a Christian aspect in his coaching and is a popular public speaker. He was quoted as saying that, if football can be used as a tool to bring people to the Lord, then "it has done something. If it hasn't, we haven't done a thing, no matter how many games we won."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Carson–Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee
Jefferson City, Tennessee
Jefferson City is a city in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,760 at the 2000 census. The city was originally named Mossy Creek, but was changed in 1901 to honor Thomas Jefferson...
, a position he has held since 1980, and is the winningest football coach in NCAA Division II history. His Carson–Newman Eagles have won five NAIA Championships
NAIA national football championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Football National Championship is decided by a post-season playoff system featuring the best NAIA college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the championship game has...
(1983–1984, 1986, 1988–1989), and have been runners-up in the NCAA Division II playoffs
NCAA Division II national football championship
The NCAA Division II National Football Championship began in 1973. Prior to 1973, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action for what was then called the NCAA College Division and a poll determined the final champion....
three times (1996, 1998–1999).
Early life
Sparks was born in Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
at Carson–Newman and graduated from the school in 1968. He was football coach at Gibbs High School
Gibbs High School (Corryton, Tennessee)
Gibbs High School is a public high school located in Corryton, Tennessee located at 7628 Tazewell Pike. The school was founded in 1913 in a two story brick building built on 12 acres which burned down in 1937. The second building burned down 13 years later in 1950. The third and current school...
in Knoxville. The next year he received a master's degree from Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
where he also coached quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
s and receivers. He coached at Morristown East High School in Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown is a city in, and the county seat of, Hamblen County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 29,137 at the 2010 United States Census. It is the principal city of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Grainger, Hamblen and Jefferson counties...
.
In the early 1970s, Sparks was an assistant coach on the Carson–Newman football team that was a runner up in the NAIA championship game. He coached the school's track team and he was named Southern Collegiate Track Coach of the Year. In 1977 he returned to Carson-Newman where he coached the track team.
In the fall, he coached at Farragut High School
Farragut High School
Farragut High School is a high school located at 11237 Kingston Pike in Farragut, a suburb of Knoxville, Tennessee. It is operated by Knox County Schools, the unified Knox County, Tennessee school district....
in Knoxville where he accumulated a 29–5 record. Among his players was Bill Bates
Bill Bates
William Frederick Bates is a former American football safety in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys.-Early years:...
.
Following his string of successes, Carson-Newman built the new Burke–Tarr Stadium in 2005.
Sparks, who was once Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
National Coach of the Year, actively pursues a Christian aspect in his coaching and is a popular public speaker. He was quoted as saying that, if football can be used as a tool to bring people to the Lord, then "it has done something. If it hasn't, we haven't done a thing, no matter how many games we won."
College
See also
- List of presidents of the American Football Coaches Association
- List of college football coaches with 200 wins