The Chambers County School District is pleased to announce the hiring of Coach Robert P. Cotton, Jr. as the system’s new boy’s varsity basketball coach named to serve at Valley High School. The board voted to approve Coach Cotton as the Ram’s new basketball coach on Monday night, May 20th to fill the posted vacancy for the 2024-25 school year.
Coach Cotton will begin his transition into his new role effective immediately as he eagerly awaits the opportunity to meet his players. Plans are in place for Coach Cotton to meet his future team while conducting tryouts this Friday and Saturday, May 24th & 25th at the VHS Ram Gymnasium.
The vacancy was created with the recent retirement of longtime Rams Basketball Coach Marshon Harper. Coach Harper announced his retirement last month with the vacancy attracting a deep pool of talented applicants. Harper finished his final two years at the helm as VHS coach posting an impressive 56-2 record with a class 5A state title in 2023 and a Final Four berth in 2024. The CCSD Board’s appointment of Coach Cotton resulted from a very competitive search process to find the best fit to serve as the Ram’s next boys’ basketball coach. Coach Cotton was the unanimous recommendation of the committee after six finalists were screened for the opportunity.
Coach Cotton joins the Chambers County School District from his present position as Head Boy’s Varsity Basketball Coach at Appling County High School in Baxley, Georgia where he also served as Assistant Athletic Director. Coach Cotton came highly recommended with 32 years of teaching and coaching experience accumulated in Georgia since he began his career in 1992. Cotton has 23 years of experience as a Boys Varsity Head Basketball Coach during his career in Georgia. His head coaching roles included stops at Manchester High School in Meriwether County Schools, Americus-Sumter High School in Sumter County, Crisp County High School in Crisp County, Wayne County High School in Wayne County, Dodge County High School in Dodge County, and Southwest High School in Bibb County. Cotton will officially file for his Georgia state retirement to transition his duties as a basketball coach across the line to Alabama to serve as the new coach for the Rams.
Cotton has a lengthy history of leading his teams into the Georgia State High School playoffs dating back to his role as coach for Manchester High School from 1996-2003. His teams have captured region championships and twice advanced to the Elite Eight Quarterfinals for the state of Georgia. He was also named the 4AA Region Coach of the Year in 2003 and the Americus Times Recorder Coach of the Year in 2006. He also served as the Receivers Coach for the Varsity Football State Champion Class A Manchester High School in 1997 and was named the Assistant Coach of the Year in 1998 for Region 4AA.
Coach Cotton earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1989 from Alabama State University. He also went on to further his studies earning his Master of Science degree in Personal Fitness Management from Troy University in 2004.
Coach Cotton is a lifelong educator whose passion is to make a positive impact on the lives of young people. He is well-connected in the coaching circuit with a vast amount of experience. In 2009, he was selected to serve as the Head Coach for the Annual Deep South All-Star Classic coaching the West All-Star Team.
Coach Cotton has four adult children his oldest daughter, Alicia lives in Hawaii, his oldest son, Darrious lives in Birmingham, his third child is his daughter, Jasmine living in Columbus, GA and his youngest is his daughter, Danielle who resides with her family in South Carolina. His move to Chambers County will allow Coach Cotton more time to spend visiting his three grandchildren in nearby Columbus, GA.
Superintendent, Dr. Casey Chambley noted he was thrilled to find someone with the experience of Robert Cotton to succeed Coach Marshon Harper. Making the hire even better is that Coach Cotton was raised in Chambers County graduating from Lanett High School in 1982 where he played three years of Varsity Basketball for LHS. In his first season on the varsity team at Lanett, he played for Coach Dan Washburn before Washburn’s successor, Coach Thurmond Billingslea took over as the head coach for Cotton’s Junior and Senior seasons. Chambley noted that references emphasized that Coach Cotton is energetic and relentlessly committed to making a difference with his students.
Below are some photos of Coach Cotton in action with one of his teams. Congratulations to Coach Robert Cotton on being named the next Rams Boy’s Basketball Coach at Valley High School!
