JACKSBORO, Tenn. — New Campbell County football head coach Mark Pemberton continues a storied career this season as he begins a new chapter with the Cougars.
Pemberton has coached for nearly 40 years, and CCHS will be the eighth high school where he has been a head coach. It will be the seventh high school in Tennessee.
"I'm not a fisherman, not a hunter, so I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't coaching," Pemberton said. "It keeps me busy."
The Rockwood native became a head coach at his alma mater in 1986 and made stops at Cumberland County, Knoxville Catholic, West Laurens in Georgia, Macon County, Brentwood and Rhea County before landing at Campbell County.
Pemberton is currently third in wins among active high school football coaches in Tennessee and also led Knoxville Catholic to its first-ever state title in 2008. The team also made it to the state finals in 2003.
He said that title taught him a lesson about what it takes to get to the top.
"There's no simple way to get there," Pemberton said. "It's hard work and consistency, having guys that are willing to put the time in and we just have to get the kids practicing at the level they need to practice at."
Pemberton also learned that it doesn't take the best team on paper to be the most successful, and the team that gets it done might not be the one you thought had what it took.
"Actually, the year before we had a better football team, we were senior-laden. Nobody expected us to do well in '08," Pemberton said. "As long as the team chemistry is where it needs to be and we've got everybody headed in the same direction, anything is possible."
Following the championship win at Knox Catholic, Pemberton took a job at West Laurens High School in Georgia but spent just one season there before returning to Tennessee.
Pemberton's storied career includes 14 10-win seasons and seven 10-0 regular season finishes. His teams have also made it to a combined five state semifinals.
Campbell County football begins its season by hosting Halls on Friday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m.