Tim Vakakes introduced as new Spain Park football coach

HOOVER -- Spain Park High School has found its new football coach.

At the Hoover City Schools board meeting Tuesday evening, Tim Vakakes was introduced as the new head coach of the Jaguars' football program.

Vakakes spent the last nine years as the head coach at Jackson-Olin, where he compiled a 49-45 overall record and three playoff appearances, reviving a largely dormant program over the previous 15 years.

He takes over at Spain Park following the resignation of Shawn Raney, who was the head coach at Spain Park for nine years.

"We believe Coach Tim Vakakes has the body of work that will allow him to be a positive leader in our school, our football program and our community," Spain Park athletic director Patrick Kellogg said in a statement. "Coach Vakakes knows how to cast vision and unify people of diverse backgrounds around a common goal. He has the will, energy, innovation and coaching acumen to lead the Spain Park football program. He will also cultivate a winning culture on and off the field and in our classrooms."

Over his nine seasons at Jackson-Olin, Vakakes led the Mustangs to the state playoffs three times. Jackson-Olin advanced to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs this fall, winning a postseason game for the first time since 1997. 

Jackson-Olin was no stranger to the playoffs in the 1980s and 1990s, but the Mustangs had not achieved a winning season or postseason berth since 1999 when Vakakes took over in 2013. After winning eight total games in his first three seasons, he led the Mustangs to an 8-3 season and a playoff appearance in 2016. 

The Mustangs posted a perfect 10-0 regular season in 2018 and won the program's fourth ever region title. After consecutive seasons without a playoff berth, Jackson-Olin won nine games in 2021 and made it to the second round.

During Raney's time at Spain Park, the program saw some of its best days. Raney led the Jags to the Class 7A state championship game in 2015, finishing that year with a 12-2 record and to date the program's only two victories over crosstown rival Hoover.

Raney compiled a 54-43 overall record, leading Spain Park to the playoffs in four of his first five seasons. But over the last four seasons, the Jags were unable to achieve another winning record, slipping to a 2-8 mark this fall.

In 2021, Spain Park got off to a good start with a 37-13 win over Huntsville in the season opener, but the Jags were unable to build on it, losing seven straight games after that. They did wrap up Region 3 play with a 35-7 win over Tuscaloosa County before falling to Hueytown in the regular season finale.