Pierce answers the call, leads Crusaders to historic turnaround

Crusaders’ head coach Jim Pierce during the game against Foundation Christian Academy Friday, September 17, 2021 at Ocala Christian Academy in Ocala, Florida. The CrusadersÕ undefeated season is still intact after beating the Panthers 64-0. [Cyndi Chambers/Correspondent] 2021

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Posted November 26, 2021 | By Joel Bronson
joel@ocalagazette.com

After a dismal 2020 football season which saw the Ocala Christian Academy Crusaders finish 1-8, the school hit the proverbial reset button on their program.

Not only was the decision made to shift from traditional 11-man to 8-man football, but the athletic department hired a new head coach to lead the program.

Jim Pierce, a youth coach and high school assistant with over 30 years of experience, was entrusted with the task of turning the football team into a success.

The results: a perfect 10-0 regular season.

For their efforts, the Crusaders earned a 3-seed in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC) 8-man football playoffs.

Pierce said he felt a calling to mentor young people through coaching sports at a very young age.

“My life in sports began as a 6-year-old in a youth basketball program at the Hoosier Gym in Indiana,” Pierce said. “My youth coaches gave time out of their lives to teach and share with me about sports and life.”

When discussing his coaching influences, Pierce credits his youth coaches in Indiana.
“I discovered my desire to coach when I was in high school,” Pierce said. “I have always loved teaching and sharing (in an effort) to help others.”

The same gym that Pierce grew up playing basketball in was used to film the 1986 move “Hoosiers” that starred Gene Hackman and Barbara Hershey. The movie was based on the 1954 boys’ basketball team from Milan High School in Indiana.

“Milan was just a really, really small high school that won the 1954 state basketball championship,” Pierce said. “This was back when all the high schools were in the same tournament in Indiana, no matter the size (of the school).”

“The original Milan High School gym burned down many years ago,” he continued. “The filmmakers used my childhood high school gym to portray the Milan gym.”

The challenge to turn the Crusaders’ football program around was daunting. Pierce credited his assistants, Jesse Bloom and Daniel Young, with keeping the morale positive and players bought in.

“Our assistants were key to our success,” Pierce said. “Jesse and Daniel allowed me to act as the CEO of the program on game nights. They were incredible.”

Pierce also made sure to recognize his family for all that they do to support his coaching and mentoring efforts at OCA.
“My wife Robin, our six children and 12 grandchildren, and my sons and daughters-in-law have been so supportive,” he shared. “That support is greatly cherished and needed.”

In addition to being the head football coach, Pierce will also serve as head coach for the boys’ varsity basketball team for the 2021-22 season.

To Pierce, the true purpose of coaching is to mentor young people to be morally strong adults.

“I’ve taught many young people the fundamentals of different sports while also teaching them about God, life, working together, and to watch them grow to be young men and ladies that God designed them to be,” he said. “Teaching young people be better at basketball and football, but more importantly to be better sons and daughters and later to be fathers and mothers, friends and citizens. That’s what I’m proud of.”

Pierce draws similarities between a major motion picture being filmed in his old gym and becoming a head coach at 70 years old.

“Filming that movie in my old gym is pretty unlikely,” Pierce said. “Pretty much like a 10-0 season or me coaching at age 70!”

“With God, anything is possible!”