Josh Donaldson, Kelly McNair, Erroll Hickenbottom, Tom Esslinger, Ashley Bussey, and Gregg Hope after 2019 Indoor State
Coaches for 2018-19
Tom Esslinger (Track and Field and Cross Country Program Director, Head Track and Field Coach)
Tom Esslinger has been teaching history and coaching at Homewood High School since the fall of 2005 and has led Homewood to 16 state championship trophies and 9 state runner-up trophies as the head track and field coach. Additionally, the track and field and cross country program has won 25 state championships during Esslinger’s tenure as program director. Esslinger was named the 2017 Girls Track and Field National Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association and 2017 Girls Track and Field South (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN) Coach of the Year by the NFHS. Additionally, he has been named Alabama Track and Field Coach of the Year four times, twice by the NFHS and twice by the USTFCCCA. Esslinger was also a coach for the U.S. Navy Team for the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs in 2014.
Prior to earning his Master’s degree in Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Esslinger graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Alabama with a degree in Political Science. At the University of South Alabama Esslinger was an All-Conference Decathlete in 2001 and 2003 in the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference, and he is currently third on the all-time list at South Alabama. Additionally, he earned the Perseverance Award for Courage and Character in Athletics, the Most Outstanding Student in Political Science Award, and was selected to the Verizon Academic All-District IV Team for NCAA Track & Field. Esslinger was a 1998 graduate of Scottsboro High School where he was an AAU All-American in the decathlon and was All-State multiple times. His father John Esslinger coached him in high school and is in the AHSAA Hall of Fame for winning 46 state championships. Tom lives in Homewood with his wife Amanda, who is an administrator at Homewood High School, and their two sons John (11) and Will (8).
Josh Donaldson (Head Cross Country Coach, Associate Head Coach Track and Field)
Josh Donaldson is in his 7th year as a track and field and cross country coach at Homewood High School. Josh began serving as Head Cross Country Coach this year and led the both the girls' and boys' teams to 6A State Championships, and he continues to lead the distance runners to unprecedented success. Donaldson has been an essential part of all 25 championships in the program's history, and he was an athlete on the first Homewood team to ever win 2006. He teaches AP Biology at Homewood High School and has excelled in both academics and community service throughout his life. Prior to earning Master's degrees in Education and Education Administration, Josh graduated summa cum laude with Math and Biology degrees from the University of Alabama. Donaldson consistently strives to help those around him in the community and also serves as Camp Director for Camp Dawson at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church.
Bryan Burgess (Assistant Cross Country and Outdoor Track and Field, Assistant Athletic Director)
Erroll Hickenbottom (Assistant Track and Field)
Myron Powe (Assistant Outdoor Track and Field)
Gregg Hope (Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field)
Kelly McNair (Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field)
Ashley Bussey (Assistant Track and Field)
Erroll Hickenbottom, Josh Donaldson, Tom Esslinger, Deanna Swope, Lars Porter, and Bryan Burgess after the 2017 Outdoor State Championships
