Ramsay’s Rueben Nelson takes over Shades Valley football program

Irondale, AL – Two week after former Shades Valley head football coach Jamie Mitchell stepped down to accept the top job at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa the Mounties have landed their next leader on the gridiron.  The Jefferson County School Board officially named Ramsay’s Rueben Nelson the 6A program’s 22nd head football coach Thursday afternoon. 

“Shades Valley is a program on the rise and I look forward to building on what is already there”.  Nelson said after officially being named the Mounties head coach. “I hope to help these young men become not just successful athletes but also successful students and successful people”.

Nelson has spent the past nine seasons at Birmingham’s Ramsay High School.  After resurrecting a Rams program that had been dormant since 1976, he built the magnet school in to a class 5A power.  During his tenure on the Southside he lead Ramsay to a 74-36 record including a 41-20 mark in region play, seven postseason births, three region titles and a state championship in 2016.  

Before reviving the Ramsay program in 2012, the Alabama A&M alum spent six seasons in Midfield where he compiled a 40-28 record, made five playoff appearances, won a pair of region tiles and lead the Patriots to a 28-12 record in region play.  

Nelson’s career head coaching record currently stands at 114-64 with 12 playoff appearances five region crowns a state championship and six seasons with 10 or more victories over 15 years.  

The Mounties closed out 2020 at 4-8, falling in the second round of the AHSAA playoffs to eventual state champion Pinson Valley.  They begin their second season in class 6A Region 5, joining traditional rivals Homewood and Mountain Brook along with Briarwood Christian, Huffman, Chelsea and Woodlawn.