Dale County basketball coach feels truly blessed

Dale County boys basketball coach Chad McKnight doesn’t remember much of what happened Tuesday afternoon, but he has heard enough from others to know one thing.

“I was truly blessed,” McKnight said from his hospital room at Dothan’s Flowers Hospital Wednesday night.

One of five Dale County coaches in a truck involved in a two-vehicle wreck, McKnight was seriously injured, suffering a fracture of the C1 (top most) vertebrae and cuts on his neck and facial area as well as soreness to his ribs.

The accident occurred at the intersection of U.S. 231 and Camilla Avenue in Ozark Tuesday around 1:50 p.m.

Dale County head football coach Todd Horne died of injuries from the accident early Tuesday evening. The other three coaches — Wesley Locke, Matt Phillips and Drew Danner — were treated and released with minor injuries

Since being listed in serious condition in the ICU unit Tuesday afternoon, McKnight made rapid improvement to the point he was moved to a room Wednesday afternoon.

“Dr. (Bruce) Woodham said he could possibly go home tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday,” said McKnight’s mother, Diane McKnight.
Though sore, McKnight said he felt fairly good physically, all things considering.

“I feel a lot better,” McKnight said, comparing his physical feelings Wednesday night to early Wednesday morning. “I have been able to walk, getting up slowly of course, and I have been sore a little.”

In fact, McKnight was able to walk with physical therapists three times during the day, going out in the hallway.

“They were surprised at that,” McKnight said of his three walks.

Though there was some initial concern about his vertebrae, McKnight said medical officials were upbeat Wednesday.

“They feel it will fuse back together,” McKnight said.

Still, he will be required to wear a neck brace for 4-6 weeks.

The Warriors coach said he couldn’t recall Tuesday’s accident.

“I am in as much of the dark about what happened,” McKnight said. “I don’t remember anything. They told me what exactly happened and I was totally caught off guard.”

Ozark City Police Chief Tony Spivey said the coaches were traveling south on 231 in a 2005 GMC Truck driven by Horne. A 1974 Chevrolet C10 pickup driven by a 16-year-old male from Ariton was traveling west across the median when it collided with the truck driven by Horne, possibly failing to yield the right of way, said Spivey.

McKnight said his last pre-accident memory was several minutes prior to it.

“The last thing I remember was getting into the truck at the Wal-Mart and leaving,” McKnight said.

He added he didn’t remember much either following the accident.

“I don’t remember anything afterwards,” McKnight said. “I don’t remember anything from last night. I got up about 4 o’clock this morning and that is when I started having my wits about myself.

“My girl friend said I was talking last night, but I don’t remember any of it.”

While he was relieved at his physical well-being, McKnight’s heart was torn at the news of Horne’s death. He was informed of Horne’s passing Wednesday afternoon by Dale County Superintendent Phillip Parker and friend Terry Goodson, a coach at Ariton.

“My heart goes out to the Horne family,” McKnight said. “I didn’t know until this afternoon when Terry Goodson and Mr. Phillip Parker told me and it just floored me.

“Terry and I talked about how he was one of our best friends. He was such a good guy. He was like a brother to me. My heart goes out to his family. I just don’t understand it.”

After being moved into a room, McKnight said he had a steady stream of visitors throughout the day.

“We probably have had hundreds come in and they are still coming in,” McKnight said. “There have been a lot of coaches, lot of family, friends and colleagues.”

The friendly faces and voices have been a soothing help to him.

“It has meant a lot and that has helped the healing process,” McKnight said.

Already, McKnight is ready to move forward.

“I want to get back as soon as possible without rushing it,” McKnight said. “The kids need me and I want to be around them.”
McKnight, like Horne, was ejected from the truck during the aftermath of the wreck, said Spivey, who also said the truck flipped two or three times after impact.

“He is very fortunate the best I can tell,” Parker said of McKnight’s health.

McKnight just completed his first year at Dale County. He turned the Warriors around, taking over after a 3-15 season and guiding the team to a 16-12 record, the program’s first winning season this decade. The 16 wins were more than the previous six seasons combined.
Prior to joining Dale County, McKnight built the Geneva County girls basketball program into a Wiregrass force. In eight years, the Lady Bulldogs went 169-58 with six of the eight teams advancing to the Class 2A regional tournament in Troy. He guided the 2000 team to the state Final Four in Birmingham.

In a related matter, Parker said school officials were in the process of reorganizing the football coaching staff in the wake of Horne’s death. He said an announcement of the changes could come today. Football practices for the upcoming season officially open next Monday, though players have been working out.

“We hate to have to do it, but we have to deal with it and move forward,” Parker said of the coaching move. “We will make every effort to do that.”

The school system will also have to fill Horne’s social studies teaching slot.

While Wednesday was a tough day for those involved in the Dale County School System, Parker said he was also very thankful to many people.

“I just want to thank everyone as we have been bombarded with calls from everyone from all over in our office,” Parker said. “Yesterday at both hospitals, there were hundreds of people and kids there. It just shows how people respond in a bad situation.

“We are very thankful for all the support and prayers for coach McKnight and for coach Horne. They and their families still need prayers and will for some time.”

McKnight was equally thankful.

“It is a blessing knowing where we could have been,” McKnight said.