Most sports fans will agree, there is a first season and a second season when it comes to athletics. The first being the regular season and the second being the playoffs.

    Two area coaches, however, will have the privilege of calling plays in a third season of sorts, as Meridian High boys coach Randy Bolden and Quitman High girls coach Mike Coleman have been tabbed to put their coaching skills on display in two separate all-star events.

    Bolden, who has his team heading to the Mississippi Coliseum with a Class 6A South State title in hand, was selected to coach in the Mississippi Association of Coaches North/South All-Star Basketball Game. The selection is an added bonus to the spectacular season his squad is putting together.

    “It really is an honor to know that the other coaches in the state and the association think enough of you to vote you in as one of the all-star coaches,” he said. “It’s quite an honor.”

    The North/South All-Star contest, which is in its 57th year, will be held at Mississippi College’s A.E. Wood Coliseum on July 9 with a 3 p.m. tip.

    Bolden will be coaching alongside Brandon’s Frederick Barnes as the two will lead the South team against the North. The two coaches know each other quite well as their respective teams are division rivals. The Wildcats’ coach is looking forward to sharing ideas with Barnes.

    “I’m looking forward to coaching with him (Barnes),” Bolden elaborated. “He’s a great coach and we’ve had so many good battles being that we are division rivals. It’s gonna be fun to get on the sideline and pick his brain a little bit.

    “We are fortunate to be able to get a chance to coach the best players in the state of Mississippi in such a great event.”

    Coleman, who led his Quitman girls team to a 27-3 record this season, was selected to be the head girls coach of Team Mississippi in the Mississippi/ Alabama All-Star Game. The event will be held on March 18 at the Pelham Civic Complex in Pelham, Ala.

    “It’s a pretty good honor there,” Coleman said.    “It means a lot because the people on the committee that chooses that, I think the world of them. All of them are such good coaches and everything, that voted on that.

    “I’m just glad they have a high enough opinion of me to vote me to something like that. That’s such a big honor.”

    The Quitman coach received news of his selection only hours before his Panthers were upset by Lawrence County in the Class 4A South State tournament last week. QHS had been a heavy favorite to make an appearance at “The Big House” and was ranked No. 3 in the Clarion-Ledger’s Super 10.

    “I talked to (Wayne County coach) Gina Skelton and told her, ‘I sure would trade that for a few more wins,'” Coleman said. “It’s an honor, but it really doesn’t take the sting away from losing the other night. We had a little higher expectations than what we came through with.

    “I had a slight feeling I might get it this year just because I was the assistant last year, and a lot of times that is how it works out. But it’s still always an honor.”

    With all his success Coleman is quick to point out that he has plenty of help along the way.

    “As I’ve gotten older, I definitely realized that you have to have good people around you and good talent to work with, too,” he added. “It’s just a tribute to everybody — my assistant coaches and players. There’s no way you can do this stuff alone. It’s like I tell my players, ‘You can’t do anything by yourself out there, nobody can go out there and play by themselves because the first time the other team scores, you don’t have anybody to throw it into.’

    “When I was younger, I probably thought it had a lot more to do with the coaching, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized you have to have players that listen and want to do right. It’s more them than me, I can promise you that.”

    Player selections will begin March 2 for the Mississippi/ Alabama All-Star event, while Bolden will wait until his team’s playoff push has run its course until those picks are made.