Almost anyone who has known Randell Boone for more than a couple of years probably has a good “Boone Story.” Whether it’s from his college football days at Georgia Southern University, traveling the country playing softball or as a teacher, coach, or a friend—they are always great and most definitely plentiful.

Born in a modest health clinic in Lyons, Georgia, and raised in the tiny town of Charlottesville, just outside Uvalda, the story Randell Boone tells of his own life is one of perseverance, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to the values instilled in him from a young age.

Boone’s upbringing was far from luxurious—he grew up in an old house without running water or a bathroom, relying on an outhouse and a deep well for water. His family raised their own pigs and chickens, and grew a garden, which provided most of the food they needed. “My father drove a log truck and my mother worked in a factory—neither had a high level of education, but they ensured that my siblings and I were well taken care of,” he says.

Boone’s early education took place in the Montgomery County School system. He says the moment that made the difference in his story happened during the summer between his 9th and 10th grade years when a friend introduced him to Robert Toombs Christian Academy (RTCA). “With the help of a work program, I was able to attend RTCA, where I met some of the most incredible people I’ve ever known.” Boone excelled in sports, playing football, basketball, baseball and track. He earned All-Region and All-State honors in each. Although colleges were initially hesitant to offer him scholarships due to the level of competition at his small private school, Boone was eventually offered a football scholarship to Valdosta State and a baseball scholarship to Middle Georgia Junior College, of which he chose the latter.

After a year at Middle Georgia, Boone decided to leave college and enter the workforce, but fate had other plans. In the fall of 1986, his high school coach, Al Pollard, reached out to tell him that West Georgia was interested in having him play football. That year, he also welcomed his first born child, Brandon, into the world. It was a tough decision, but he decided to continue on in college to ultimately provide his son a better life. Boone had his sights set on Georgia Southern University (GS), inspired by their back to back 1985 and 1986 National Championship wins. Coach Pollard connected him with Coach Doc Spurgeon at GS, and Boone began attending the university in the spring of 1986. As legend has it, he was told about tryouts late, and showed up in jeans and cowboy boots. They let him borrow a pair of cleats and he ran a 4.5 second 40-yard dash in his blue jeans! Needless to say, he made the team.

Boone declares his time at GS as “transformative.” He has so many memories of playing for the late coaching legend, Erk Russell. “Erk would always say, “if you want to succeed, you just have to “Do Right.” Words to live by,” says Boone, “and the team’s only rule.”

Boone was a three-year football letterman (‘87, ‘88 and ‘89). As a two-year starter at strong safety, he was selected to three All-American teams in 1989: Associated Press (second team), Football Gazette (third team) and Sports Network (second team). In his bio on gseagles.com, Boone is credited for helping Georgia Southern to the NCAA’s first perfect 15-0 season and a NCAA Division I-AA National Championship. His record is impressive–a recorded 58 tackles (45 solo), eight interceptions and eight pass breakups during his senior season. Six regular-season interceptions is the tied Georgia Southern single-season record (1989). His career totals include 150 tackles, 13 interceptions, 13 pass breakups, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The Eagles went 36-7 during his three-year career. Boone was inducted into the Georgia Southern Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.

Some would say his hard work paid off with those stats and a college degree in Health and Physical Education, but Boone says his 1990 free-agent deal with the New York Jets was pretty telling. However, after camp, he decided professional football was not his long-term goal. He was a small town country boy who was ready to come home. Boone accepted a job at Richmond Hill High School (RHHS), ultimately changing the trajectory of his life.

Boone says he found a community that resonated with his values, and he quickly fell in love with his work at RHHS and later at Richmond Hill Middle School (RHMS). “The town of Richmond Hill was much smaller in the early ‘90s, and the rivalry was big with Bryan County High School,” he recalls. Boone became an integral part of the community as the Defensive Coordinator for football and an assistant for basketball. He coached with legendary Head Coach, Jimmy Hires, who lead the school to multiple state championships. In 1995, he moved to the other side of the county, assuming the role of Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Bryan County High School. “At this time, I was also majorly involved in competitive softball, to the point that I was traveling and playing all over the country. So, after just three years at BCHS, I resigned. It was hard to be in more than one place at a time,” he recalls.

Anyone who has seen Boone hit a softball can tell you how hard the ball came off his bat. “Boone Stories” talk about him hitting a softball over baseball fences (a lot further than softball fences), left handed, and even with one hand behind his back. In order to accommodate his softball travel schedule, Boone took a teaching job at Bartlett Middle School, where he was named Head Football and Basketball Coach. Shortly after taking that job, he and his wife, Laurie, found out they were expecting their first child, Lyndsey. “We played football games on Thursdays so that my schedule would allow me to fly out on Friday for softball tournaments if necessary.” Boone says softball paid well enough to find the balance in it all.

Bartlett won several football championships under Boone, but he really wanted to get back to the Bryan County School System. “I contacted Mrs. Helen Herndon, then Principal at RHMS and a dear friend of ours, to ask if she had any openings. It just so happened that she was looking for a PE/Head Football Coach,” says Boone. “I accepted the position and it couldn’t have worked out any better.” It didn’t take long for RHMS to win their first of several Middle School Championships. “I only had two assistants, Michael Carter and Chris Willis, but we had some amazing players and parents, so it made our jobs much easier and very successful.” The Boone’s welcomed their second child, Luke, in 2004.

Throughout his 33-year teaching and coaching career, Boone has remained passionate about his work and sports, always driven by the support of his family and community. “Randell is so very passionate about the kids he teaches, and the ones he coaches most of all. There is not a year that has gone by that he hasn’t bought a player pack for those who couldn’t afford one, or been just a phone call away when a player was in need,” says Laurie. “He has created unbreakable bonds with many of them and still hears from them after they are grown and living their own lives. He gets really tickled when he receives their Christmas cards,” she adds. When he shares his own stories, they are often about how fortunate he is to live and work in Richmond Hill. He says his wife, Laurie, has been his rock—supporting him through the ups and downs of his journey simultaneously fulfilling duties as an athlete, coach, teacher, husband, and father.

Today, you can find Boone teaching weight training and coaching golf at Richmond Hill Middle School. He even drives a daily bus route because “they needed drivers.” Boone could have retired three years ago but according to him, that would make the story “boring”! He is looking forward to becoming a grandfather for the second time as Lyndsey is expecting, and he can’t get enough of watching Luke continue his baseball career in college.