Balancing act: Southeast Lauderdale’s Truman dons many hats

Published 11:00 pm Wednesday, January 2, 2019

For most of Centel Truman’s life, juggling multiple tasks has been a daily routine. Truman mastered the skill as a basketball and football student-athlete at Northeast Lauderdale High School, East Mississippi Community College and the University of West Alabama. And as an adult, he’s refined the skill as a coach.

Truman is Southeast Lauderdale’s basketball program’s leading man, and when he’s not roaming the hardwood, he can be found on Southeast Lauderdale’s football field, where he’s a wide receiver and defensive backs coach.

If that’s not enough, the father of two also serves as youth pastor at Greater Calvary Baptist Church.

“For me to be able to go out there and do such a thing, number one, I have a great wife (Shevonda Truman) who understands that my time is limited,” Truman said. “I have a great support staff at home that lets me do those things. Second, I’m around some great coaches at Southeast who help make things a lot better.”

Before arriving at Southeast Lauderdale, Truman coached at Northeast Lauderdale for eight years and West Alabama for one year.

Those who know Truman aren’t surprised to learn of the impact he’s had on his students. In Sept. 2016, Truman was honored with the Golden Apple Award.

Northeast Lauderdale boys’ and girls’ basketball coach Lewis Lightsey coached Truman in high school, and Truman later worked as an assistant under Lightsey. 

Lightsey said Truman’s determination and work ethic were evident when Truman was in high school.

“He would work at the golf course at Briarwood when he was not at school or at practice,” Lightsey recalled. “He’s a very 

hard worker. He was always working to either make himself better as a player or working to help his family with a part-time job on the side. That’s hard when you’re playing football and basketball and you’re a student also.”

While Truman’s impact in both sports has helped his players fundamentally, the coach takes as much delight in seeing them develop and grow personally. In December, Truman traveled to Mobile, Ala., to watch his former player Damion Willis finish his college football career with Troy University in the Dollar General Bowl, and he recently attended another former player’s wedding.

“It brings great joy to see a lot of my kids do well,” Truman said. “Damion is doing well in sports, but he’s also going to graduate from college, and I take great pride in that knowing that he’s not only going to do well maybe at the next level on the football field, but he’s also going to do well by getting his degree. Just a week ago, one of my kids had a wedding, so he’s doing something special with his life, as well. I like to think that I’ve imparted more than just sports into them, but different characteristics in life that can help them along the way to be successful young men.”

Willis and Truman have shared a close bond since Willis’ time at Southeast Lauderdale. While football initially linked the two, Willis said Truman has taken a genuine interest in his well-being as a young adult.

“He always invited me over to his house; I’m really cool with his son and daughter,” Willis said. “Our relationship is a lot closer than just coach to player, it’s more like a family situation. He’s been there for me a lot, so he’s helped me on and off the field.”

For Lightsey, who has coached for 22 years, part of what makes Truman successful as a coach and leader is his ability to reach and connect with his players and students.

“He’s such a good role model for kids,” Lightsey said. “He’s a good family man. He does a lot in the church. But not only that, he’s just good with talking with kids and relating to them. He’s just a good mentor for young people. I think a lot of Centel, and he’s really turned into a great coach.”

The end of this school year will mark Truman’s sixth at Southeast Lauderdale. He said his time at the school has been enjoyable thanks to the widespread support the Southeast Lauderdale community has given him and his players. He also said he’d be remiss if he didn’t acknowledge the help he receives from his assistants, which allows him to devote his time to both sports.

“Without my assistant basketball coaches Jeremy Walk and Donna Sprayberry, I couldn’t be able to do both,” Truman said. “They do a wonderful job, and I am grateful to have them.”