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Vicksburg native Ernest Young shares life lessons and coaching journey in new book ‘Take a Walk in My Shoes’
Vicksburg native Ernest P. Young Sr. shares lessons from family loss, faith, football and decades of coaching in his new book, Take a Walk in My Shoes. The Alcorn State Hall of Fame inductee hopes his story will inspire readers…
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Vicksburg native and longtime coach Ernest P. Young Sr. has turned decades of life experiences into a book titled “Take a Walk in My Shoes,” sharing a journey filled with heartbreak, perseverance, faith and success.
Now 73 years old, Young has spent much of his life developing young athletes while overcoming challenges of his own. Through his book, he hopes to inspire others by sharing the lessons he learned both on and off the field.
Born Feb. 13, 1953, to Albert and Hilda Young, Young grew up in Vicksburg in a loving family of 11 children. Although only two of the siblings are still living today, Young remembers growing up in a household where family members loved and supported one another.
One of the most difficult moments in his life came when he lost his mother. Her death had a major impact on Young, especially as he was beginning his college football career at Alcorn State University.
During his first year at Alcorn, Young made the difficult decision to quit football because he was heartbroken over his mother’s death. However, his football career was far from over.
Young eventually returned to Alcorn, where he became a standout football player. His success on the field eventually earned him a place in the university’s Hall of Fame in 2010.
His love for athletics eventually led him into coaching, where he spent years developing young men and women in multiple sports, including football, basketball and track.
Throughout his coaching career, Young spent time at Alcorn State, North Panola, Delhi, Tallulah High School, Natchez and Lanier. Each stop provided him with different experiences, many of which are highlighted in his book.
However, not every season was filled with victories.
Young reflected on one of the toughest periods of his coaching career when his Alcorn team finished with an 0-11 record. Although the season was difficult, it gave him a deeper understanding of the hardships that come with coaching and the importance of continuing to push forward when things aren’t going as planned.
Those experiences also strengthened his faith, which became one of the biggest influences throughout his life.
“In the Bible it says you have to lose something before you can win something and that’s how life is,” Young said. “If something bad happened to you, something good is right around the corner.”
While winning games was always important, Young’s impact as a coach went far beyond the scoreboard.
One of the stories highlighted in his book involves a troubled young man he coached who eventually developed into an athlete and college graduate. For Young, stories like that show the true importance of coaching and the difference one person can make in another person’s life.
Throughout his career, Young helped develop both male and female athletes, using his experience in football, basketball and track to teach lessons that extended beyond athletics.
Those memories, along with the personal struggles he faced throughout his life, became the foundation of “Take a Walk in My Shoes.”
Young said one of the main reasons he decided to write the book was because he believes everyone has a story worth telling. After spending decades helping others, he wanted to share his own experiences in hopes that someone could learn from them.
He also understands that words can leave a lasting impact. Long after his coaching career and life are over, Young knows the lessons and memories written in his book will remain for future generations.
Today, Young continues to cherish the importance of family. He and his wife, Diane Young, have seven children, and the values he learned growing up remain an important part of his life.
From losing his mother at a young age to becoming a standout college athlete, Hall of Fame inductee and longtime coach, Young’s journey has been filled with both accomplishments and adversity.
Through “Take a Walk in My Shoes,” he hopes readers will understand that success is not always measured by victories, championships or individual accomplishments, but also by the lives a person touches along the way.
The book is available for purchase online.
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