The City Wire Person of the Month: Josh Jones

Editor’s note: The City Wire highlights each month a person in the Fort Smith region. Special recognitions, accomplishments, philanthropic support and input from The City Wire readers are considered when selecting a person to profile.

story by Aric Mitchell
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Josh Jones stands at the entryway to the Magazine Rattlers field house and points in the direction of the football stadium, which rests nearby on Arkansas 10 as it cuts through the heart of town.

“Magazine has a football tradition that goes back further than people realize. In fact, we still play in the same field as they did in 1931,” he says.

When World War II struck, the program closed shop and didn’t return for another 60 years. The mid-90s saw another surge, though the program failed to compete on a state-wide level. In 2001, they didn’t even field a team. Jones took the job in 2005 and realized immediately he had a tall order in front of him.

“I asked our superintendent at the time what kind of pressure there would be to win. He just sort of laughed and told me I’d be doing good to field a team,” Jones said.

Jones had six players report to physicals that first year, but remained determined to hit the magic number of 11 that would allow his guys to suit up. By week one, he had 13 players, and one 0-10 season later, the Rattlers program had survived its first season under him and Assistant Coach Doug Powell.

Jones was recently asked to speak at an event, where he used his colleague to break the ice.

“Allow me to introduce you to my coaching staff. Doug Powell, stand up please.” He did. “Okay, that’s it.”

Jones credits Powell with more than 50% of the work.

“I call offense. You sort of dictate what’s going to happen when you have the ball. There is a lot more prep time on the defensive side, and we honestly couldn’t do what we’ve done without Coach Powell,” Jones said.

The accomplishment Jones refers to is the school’s first ever perfect season and state championship. Magazine met conference rival Danville for the second time at the end of the Class 2A Playoffs. The Little Johns were 13-1, their only loss to Magazine. Magazine received a bye and were 13-0 going into the tournament final. The Rattlers defeated Danville in the first meeting 28-24.

On Dec. 11, Magazine stepped onto the field calm, cool, and collected, forcing multiple turnovers en route to a 48-20 victory.

SEASON THAT ALMOST WASN’T
Jones, a father of two sons (with a third on the way), said he wasn’t sure if there would even be a season for him during his deployment to Afghanistan in early 2010. He describes the helpless feeling of being huddled down in a bunker as enemy shells exploded outside at the approximate distance “between the (football) field and field house.”

Jones describes feeling nervous as the bombardment grew louder and closer to his position. His experience gave him time to think about his family. During that time, he wondered how wife Rachel was coping, whether his sons would recognize him when he returned — he lost 30 pounds during his 90-day deployment — and what youngest boy Luke’s first birthday party would be like. He later viewed pictures on Facebook during his limited Internet time.

“I just kept thinking I should be there. This sucks.”

Jones also felt like he should be there for another group of kids: his Rattlers. The program had endured a lot of hardship.

“There was a lot of pain in those first years. Losing is hard and it hurts. It wasn’t that we were without talent. We had about six kids on our first squad that could have started on this team. It was just bad timing. But I suppose there is something to be said for being able to keep the doors open,” Jones explained.

DREAM COME TRUE
For Jones, the state championship victory was something of a dream-come-true. When he was a senior in high school, he watched a Nashville Scrappers field goal end his dreams of winning the title while playing defensive end at Booneville in the state semi-finals.

“Some losses you never forget,” Jones said. “I’ve since watched that tape from a different point of view, trying to see what we could have done differently to win.”

Jones met with his team shortly before their semi-final game with Magnet Cove. The loss still weighed on his mind. He told his players: “Guys, I’ve been where you are. Please don’t take this for granted. There are no guarantees you’ll ever have another shot at what you’re about to do. I tried and wasn’t good enough to do it. But you are good enough.”

The Rattlers responded with a 55-30 victory. After the game, Jones recalls his players coming up to him, embracing him and telling him, “Coach you’re good enough now.”

While Jones takes very little credit for his accomplishments, except to say he tried to keep his team loose and comfortable and ready to approach it as a game and not a life-or-death scenario, his contributions are obvious. From the 2005 season, Magazine’s program grew to 18 players (in 2006); 21 (in 2007); 27 (in 2008); and 28 (in 2009).

The 2010 Season finished with 35 players, five of whom were 9th graders who made the jump after their season was finished. Each year has seen steady improvements in performance as well.

Just one year after his arrival, Jones coached the school into its first ever playoff appearance. They returned in 2008 with their first winning record, and then captured a conference title and made a semi-final appearance in 2009.

“Really, you can’t do anything without the kids. They know me. They know what I’ll take and what I won’t. Coach Powell and I give them a plan, and they’re the ones that carry it out. This is their victory. They earned it.”