Former Parkersburg Football Coach Buddy James talks about his career Sunday at the Smoot Theatre for “Once a Big Red, Always a Big Red,” the third lecture in the Smoot Theatre Winter Lecture Series for 2025. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — A longtime Parkersburg High School Football coach talked about changes in the sport of football over the years, but also about the young men he taught on Sunday.

Former Parkersburg High School football coach Buddy James was the featured speaker for “Once a Big Red, Always a Big Red,” the third lecture in the Smoot Theatre Winter Lecture Series for 2025.

“I used to tell my players that once you put that uniform on you are a Big Red forever,” James said. “I am so proud of them.

“Our traditions are so fantastic.”

James played football and wrestled at PHS from 1953-56, then went to Montana State where he lettered in football and wrestling and transferred to Marshall University, where he also lettered in football and wrestled. He came back to Parkersburg and established wrestling at Jackson Junior High and was named an assistant football coach at PHS in 1963. He became head coach in 1968 and coached until he retired in 1990.

Around 50 people attended “Once a Big Red, Always a Big Red,” the third lecture in the Smoot Theatre Winter Lecture Series for 2025 where former Parkersburg High School Football Coach Buddy James was the featured speaker. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

“That made him the winningest high school football coach in the state of West Virginia,” said former PHS player Barry Louden, who introduced James. “Buddy was the sixth of nine PHS football players to become coach.

“He is the longest-serving head football coach at PHS with 178 wins.”

James gave a lot of credit to his wife Nancy for being there during his coaching years.

“If you are a coach, your wife had better be on board,” he said. “She is a great wife, and she was on board with all of it.”

He talked about a number of players he worked with who went on to be successful in their own lives as well as some who had passed on.

Nancy and Buddy James were the guests at the Smoot Theatre for “Once a Big Red, Always a Big Red,” the third lecture in the Smoot Theatre Winter Lecture Series for 2025. Buddy James, who was the featured speaker, was the winningest high school football coach in the state of West Virginia. Former PHS player Barry Louden introduced James. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

“I loved my kids,” James said as his voice slightly cracked.

When he began coaching, he talked about giving his players regular water breaks which had not been a thing up until then.

“I played junior high, high school and college and never had a drink of water,” he said. “It is amazing it didn’t kill us.

“We didn’t live in air conditioning or drive in air-conditioned cars. We were acclimated to heat. When I became the head guy, I said I was going to let them have water anytime they want.”

Parkersburg High School was the winningest high school football program in the country up to 1989, winning more games than any other high school in America, James said, quoting a nationwide high school football record book published that year.

He also talked about computerized scouting, utilizing computers that filled a large room and going to The Ohio State University and talking to football coach Woody Hayes, who James said really liked Parkersburg, to see how it was done.

James talked about starting a weightlifting regimen in high school which wasn’t done at the time. He had a shop teacher build benches, got piping and filled large cans from the cafeteria with cement. In the beginning, he didn’t have anyone who could bench press over 90 pounds. It was a couple years before he had a player who could get 300 pounds up.

“Then there were more and more of them,” James said. “We had less injuries and more endurance.

“Now, everyone lifts weights.”

The coach also talked about changes in equipment over the years, especially helmets that went from leather to what is used today and how rules had to change to prevent using the helmets with face guards as a weapon that could injure someone through targeting. He said improvements in equipment, shoulder pads and more ended up protecting more players.

“The equipment did get better and better,” James said. “Parkersburg High School always had the best.

“Money was never a problem at PHS. Football made the money, and football got to spend the money. We shared it with other sports.”

He talked about the school putting on the Big Red Banquet as a way for players to honor their mothers for washing uniforms, warming meals up when players got home and more.

They had a rose on a plate at the dinner.

“You went to your mother and pinned the rose on her,” James said he told his players. “I told them to give your mom a hug and kiss her on the cheek and tell her you love her.

“We honored the mothers. We tried to teach class.”

James said the community has always been supportive of the football program.

“This is a great place to teach and coach,” he said. “We have wonderful kids here.”

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com