Watch: Gerald Hodgin won five preparatory football states title rings during the 50-year coaching career in Brevard

5 rings: important contributors at Dynasty Programs Merritt Island in the 1970s and cocoa in the 2000s

Above video: Gerald Hodgin won five preparatory football state during the 50-year coaching career in Brevard County.

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner 2025 and the ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 24th, at the Ostflorida State College.

---

Note from the publisher: The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame's selection committee announced that the 2025 induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 24th, at the Ostflorida State College in Melbourne. This will be the first personal introduction since Covid 19 pandemic in 2020. To make a reservation for the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, contact@spacececececececoloastdaily.com or by phone at 321-323-4460. Click here to see the class for the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame 2025.

---

2025 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Coaching -Indicated

Brevard County, Florida -During his 50 -year -old coach in Brevard County, coach Gerald Hodgin achieved five state championship rings as an important participant for five state championship teams with Dynasty programs Merritt Iceland in the 1970s and in the 2000s.

Hodgin became Meridian in 1942, Mississippi.

Hodgin then visited a football scholarship in Middle Tennessee. In his first year he suffered a serious knee injury that ended his career as a player.

He then visited Florence State, now the University of Northern Alabama, where he graduated in 1963.

Hodgin started teaching and training at the Cullman High School in Alabama football, basketball, route and golf in 1964.

After a year in Cullman, Hodgin and his wife Elke moved to the Boaz High School for three years and then three years to the New Hope High School.

Brevard County's attention was impressed when the Hodgin family arrived for the first time in 1969 to see a job opening for a football coach and a job at the Merritt Island High School.

“When we came to Merritt Island for the first time to meet Coach (Eddie) Feeley, we didn't have enough money to stay in a hotel and parked for the night in the Indian river,” said Elke.

“During the night, Gerald decided to fish from the bank and fish a huge bass and said: 'Schatz, I think we're at home!'”

History below >>>

Strong bond

In Hodgins for the first year on Merritt Island in 1969, he was the JV soccer coach and in 1970 became an offensive line coach of the Powerhouse Varsity squad from Feeleys.

The rest is, as you say, when the Mustangs built up state championships in 1972, 1978 and 1979, Wobei Hodgin led the defense as coordinator.

Hodgin said that among the highlights for him it was Sunday with the co-trainers Eddie Feeley, Gerald Odom, Lee Mace, Dwight Thomas, Travis Akin, Joe Pribil and Jim Casper, who are planned for game plans with all the special lifelong ties that he made with his revered players.

“I met coach Hodgin for the first time in Merritt Island in the second year,” said Jimmy Black, Quarterback from the State Champion Mustang and Florida State.

“He was the head coach of the JV team, and one of the first things they learned about the coach was that they should do it better now than he told them that they should do something, and he was very important for him, and he passed this on to his players. The bond that the players had with all of our trainers is still strong, almost 50 years later.

When Gerald Odom became head coach at the Cocoa High School in 2000, Hodgin joined his employees as a defensive coordinator and stayed when John Wilkinson took over in 2004. He recorded two other state title rings.

During his career, Hodgin also trained the Mustang Baseball team for 12 seasons and achieved 263 victories, five conference titles, four district championships, three regional titles, a section crown and a state appearance.

“Hodge put his life and soul into everything he trained,” said the former headmaster of Merritt Island High School, Hank Smith.

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Bankett and Introductory Ceremony 2025 will take place on Saturday, May 24th, at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne. Information about the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame or a reservation, email contact@spacecoastdaily.com or call 321-615-8111.

Click here to see members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner 2025 and the ceremony is sponsored by Health First and presented by Tom and Suzie Wasdin

Brevard County, Florida – The selection committee of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame announced that the introductory ceremony 2025 will take place on Saturday, May 24th, at the Ostflorida State College in Melbourne. This will be the first personal introduction since then The Covid 19 pandemic.

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Ceremony, sponsored by Health First and presented by Tom and Suzie Wasdin, takes place on the evening of May 24th

Tom and Suzie Wasdin are long -time Brevard County entrepreneurs, community supporters and philanthropes. Tom, a NCAA Final Four basketball coach and Brevard sports ambassador, was included in the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

The meet-and-greet will include an opportunity to speak to the region's sports hionty. The dinner and the induction process, which contain convincing video homages to every attitude, will follow.

The Brevard County High School Breakfast of Champions Recognions Awards will also take place on Saturday, May 24th, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

During the breakfast of champions, more than 40 awards are awarded to the best students of the male and female student of the male and female student in every sport. For sponsoring information, call 321-323-4460 or send an email to contact@spacecececececoastaily.com.

Both the breakfast of the Champions and the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame events are streamed live on the daily television of Space Coast.

Health first, Erdman Automotive, Ostflorida State College, all points, clear selection in healthcare, Brevard Public Schools, Space Coast Office of Tourism, EDC by The Space Coast, 4Ever Young Merritt Island and Spars Safari sponsor of Space Coast Hall of Fame introduction event 2025 and the Brevard County High School Breakfast of Champions Recondions Awards Awards.

To reserve the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Induction, send an email to contact@spacececececececoloastdaily.com or by phone at 321-323-4460.

Selected introductions selected in four categories

The candidates are selected in four categories: professional sports, university sports, high school sports and amateur sports. Special recognition of honor is also awarded individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to sport on the space coast.

Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Class from 2025

■ Kon question category induced: Jamel Dean, football; Hacksaw Jim Duggan, wrestling; Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, football; Randy Pobst, Auto Racing; Juwaan Taylor, football

■ Delivered of the university category: Paulette King, basketball, Dylan Lewis, football; Steve Freeman, football; Bryan Cook, baseball

■ Preparation category induced: Lexy Denaburg, volleyball; Andi Sellers, football; KAira Simmons, Track & Field; Jayvan Boggs, football

■ Amateur/recovery category induced: Alli Penovich, free diving; Peter Blount, Track & Field; Caylor Williams, Wrestling

■ Coaching category induced: Doug Butler, Cross Country and Track; Gerald Hodgin, football; Jim Oler, basketball; Don Smith, basketball

• Sports officer induced: Ted Ruta

• Sports journalism induced: Steve Vaughn

• induce sports development: Loren McClanahan

■ Lifetime performance in purchase time: Larry Garrison, Clint Hurdle

■ Sports Ambassador Prize induced: Rusty Buchanan

■ Challenger Award introduction: Joshua Dillon

■ Team of the year: Cocoa Tigers football

■ Legacy Champions: Merritt Island Baseball, 1999-2000

■ Community Sports Progress: Justin Lauer and Dr. Bill Quinter

■ Special tribute: Tim Wakefield

Space Coast daily The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame founded in 2011 and recorded over 200 of the most outstanding athletes, coaches and sports personalities from Brevard County. The Titan Fieldhouse of the state of Eastern Florida on the Melbourne campus is home to the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame. Portraits of the Hall of Famers are exhibited on the wall in the main corridor of the building, which runs parallel to the gym and outside the athletic department offices.

To reserve the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Induction, send an email to contact@spacececececececoloastdaily.com or by phone at 321-323-4460.

Click here to see the members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-5vs2xqdcy

Space Coast Daily TV: Tim Wakefield talks about his introduction to the first class of Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame. Space Coast daily The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame founded 2011 and has so far recorded more than 200 of the most outstanding athletes, coaches and sports personalities by Brevard County.