Johnson Central football coach laid to rest
Johnson Central High School’s football field was renamed Friday in honor of the late head football coach Jim Matney, who died Sept. 28.
By TONY FYFFE
BSN Editor
PAINTSVILLE — Johnson Central High School head football coach Jim Matney was laid to rest Monday following services at the school and week-long tributes from around Kentucky.
Matney, 62, of Hager Hill, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, following an extended illness.
Matney guided two JCHS football teams to state championships, in 2016 and 2019. On Friday, the school’s football field was renamed Coach Jim Matney Field in his honor.
“Earlier this week, our Johnson Central Family, Eagle Nation, and the entire Commonwealth lost a true giant and mountain legend,” the Johnson County School District said in a release announcing the renaming. “Jim Matney passed away Tuesday, leaving an enormous chasm in the fabric of high school football in Kentucky. While his records speak for themselves, his lasting impact is far greater than numbers. The countless lives that he changed while at Sheldon Clark and Johnson Central stand as the measure of his character, impact, and legacy. Johnson Central Football is where it is today because of Jim Matney and we will forever be thankful that he, Debby, Dalton, and Carson chose to be part of the Johnson County School District.”
The district said naming the field in Matney’s honor will “stand as a symbol of the unmatched legacy and impact he leaves at Johnson Central High School.”
Matney graduated in 1977 from Belfry High School, where he excelled in football, wrestling and baseball. He continued his wrestling career at Liberty University, where he graduated in 1982 with a degree in history. He came back to Kentucky and served as an assistant football coach at Belfry High School. In 1983, he was hired to be the head football and wrestling coach at Sheldon Clark High School in Martin County, where they won two team wrestling state championships in 1994 and 1995 and 17 individual state champions.
He and his football team also achieved success, winning the regional tournament and reaching the semi state. In 2004, he began coaching at Johnson Central High School and led the Golden Eagles to five straight state championship appearances, winning the two state football championships. His wrestling team honors at JCHS included state wrestling dual meet championships in 2019 and this year and 10 individual state champions.
Schools from across Kentucky paid tribute to Matney, which did not go unnoticed at JCHS.
“On behalf of JCHS, we want to thank everyone and every school for showing their love and support for the Johnson County community,” the school’s Eagle Spirit Facebook page said in a post Sept. 29. “The outpouring of love has definitely left an impression on all our hearts. Please continue to pray for Coach Matney’s family and those he impacted along the way.”
In addition to his wife and sons, Matney is survived by four brothers, Clyde Payne of Youngsville, N.C., Gary Matney of New Braunfels, Texas, and Bill Matney and Mike Matney, both of Stone.
Services were held Monday at JCHS, with burial in Mayo Cemetery in Prestonsburg.