Leavy Boutwell was a native of Elba, Alabama and attended Elba High School. He was a standout on the football field for the Tigers, earning All-State honors as a guard each of his last three years in high school (1968-70).
Boutwell played in the Alabama North-South All-Star game in Tuscaloosa in 1971. He also played football for the Trojans of Troy State University.
Following his graduation from college, Boutwell took over the New Brockton Gamecock program in 1979. His very first team finished the season 9-1 but were ineligible for a playoff berth. Over the next eleven seasons his teams went 94-27.
Boutwells last five teams made playoff appearance with the 1988 squad reaching the State Championship game before losing to Hazlewood 28-0. His last four won region titles.
Coach Boutwell left New Brockton and, after coaching stints in Florala and Georgia, accepted the head coaching position at Geneva High School in 1996. As he had in New Brockton, Boutwell quickly turned Geneva into an area football power.
After failing to post a winning season in eight of its last nine seasons before Boutwell arrived, Geneva won at least nine games in four of Boutwells six seasons at the school, including a team record 12 in 1999. His 1999 and 2000 squads finished the regular season undefeated. He spent one season at Northview High in Dothan in 2003, his last as a head coach.
The Elba native boasts a career record of 148-80 with 10 playoff appearances in Alabama. His teams also won seven area and region titles in his 20 years as a head coach in the state.
Boutwell has served as the principle at Dale County High School after retiring from the football field. He is a member of the Wiregrass Hall of Fame being selected in 2009.
|