- Date Of Birth: February 21, 1939
- Date Of Death: August 1, 2019
- State: Illinois
James Edward Stovall (Jim) was born to Willie Stovall (deceased) and Mary Williams (deceased) on February 21, 1939 in Monticello, MS.
James attended McCullough High School in Monticello, MS where he participated in football and drove a school bus while attending school there.
James started coaching in Harvey IL as a Babe Ruth League assistant baseball coach. In the fall of 1974, he was asked to coach with the Harvey Colts youth football organization. That year, he along with Rich Brown and Ben Averyheart began their youth football coaching calling. Gary Williams would join this staff three years later and together for the next thirty years would be the only Pop Warner coaching staff to accumulate 312 wins and only 63 losses in a total span of thirty-three years.
From this union of coaches, Jim would be the proud coach of Melvan Hunter, Richard Johnson, Keith Rucker, Kevin Perkins, Jermain Hampton, Antwaan Randle El, Eric Thigpen, Leslie Majors, Jason Griffin, Kapri Bibbs, Benny Garnet, Donald Luster, Gerald Grayer, Tony Pit, Edward Adams, Reggie Ford, Pete Rucker, Randy Jackson. The young men mentioned all played in the NFL. Jim has the satisfaction of having coached over twenty lawyers, at least three doctors, several dozen first responders and numerous clergymen. He was most happy to discover that many of his former players followed in his footsteps and are now coaching either as youth coaches, or at the professional level.
Jim and his staff retired from coaching in 2007 after making their second trip to the Pop Warner Super Bowl.
From 1974 until 2007, Jim Stovall would coach and mentor over 2,000 boys and girls. He would tell people that he was overjoyed when one of his former players would make it to the NFL, but more thrilled just to hear that anyone of his players made it in life.
James leaves to cherish his memory: daughter, Frieda Watts (Freddie) of Houston, TX; Vincent Stovall of Juneau, AK. Six grandchildren: Kevin Archer II (Adrian) of Brooklyn Park, MN; Christopher Stovall (Tarrissa) of Anchorage, AK; Jennifer Stovall (deceased); Jasmine Bland of Park Forest, IL; Brianna Stovall of Anchorage, AK; Chance Stovall of Juneau, AK. Three great-grandchildren: Peyton Stovall of Anchorage, AK, Kamryn Stovall of Anchorage, AK; Kendal Stovall of Anchorage, AK. One sister: Catherine Cantrell of Harvey, IL. One uncle: Willie C. McGowan (Margaret) of Flossmoor, IL. One aunt: Georgia Stovall of MS. A special friend Sue and a host of nephews, nieces and cousins.
