Jim Cavan Memorial Parkway

It took twenty seven years and a couple of former residents to finally recognize the work Coach Jim Cavan accomplished for this community.

State Representative Len Walker played for Coach Cavan back in the ‘60’s and felt that it was time to honor his legacy. Walker teamed with Representative Billy Maddox to pass the necessary legislation to name the portion of State Highway 74 from Church Street to Holston Drive, the “Coach Jim Cavan Memorial Parkway.”

Among those in attendance for the dedication were two of Coach Cavan's five children, Mike and Joanie.

For more pictures, click HERE.

Several of Coach Cavan’s former players were also in town, Terry Osbolt, Hugh Nall and Joe Jones joined a host of local players and coaches to hear Representative Maddox read the following resolution.

Honoring the life of Coach Jim Cavan and dedicating a road in his memory; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Jim Cavan was born in Decatur, Georgia, in 1913; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from high school, he received a football scholarship to the University of Georgia where he played on Coach Harry Mehre's last team at Georgia; and

WHEREAS, after college he started coaching high school football, first at Gainesville High School and then at Rome High School where his team won the state championship in 1942; and

WHEREAS, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; while in the Navy he was a coach at the Iowa Pre-Flight School where he worked with such football legends as Bud Wilkinson, Jim Tatum, and Johnny Vaught; and

WHEREAS, he was named as the head football coach and athletic director at R.E. Lee High School in 1953 and remained in those positions until he retired in 1976; and

WHEREAS, during his 23 year career at Lee his football record was 140-84-14; his teams won region championships in 1961, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1970; the Rebels played Valdosta for the AAA state championship in 1961 and his 1970 team was Lee's first regular season undefeated team; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cavan was named as Georgia's high school coach of the year in 1961 by the Atlanta Touchdown Club; and

WHEREAS, he was a contemporary of such legendary Georgia high school coaches as Wright Bazemore, Oliver Hunnicutt, Calvin Ramsey, Weyman Sellers, and Billy Henderson, and Coach Cavan's name is always mentioned when the subject of Georgia's greatest high school coaches comes up; and

WHEREAS, while at Lee, he was also the head coach of the Lady Rebels basketball team and they had great success as his teams won 14 region titles and captured state championships in 1963 and 1966; the 1962-63 team had a perfect 32-0 record and the 1963-64 team won its first 27 games, to run their streak to 59 consecutive wins, before losing in the state championship game; and

WHEREAS, he met his wife, Dot, at the University of Georgia and they were married for 44 years until Coach Cavan passed away in 1983; and

WHEREAS, during his coaching career at Lee, Coach Cavan had the privilege of coaching each of his five children; he coached Dottie and Joanie in basketball, and Jimmy, Mike, and Pete in football; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cavan was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1961 and into the Thomaston-Upson Inaugural Induction Hall of Fame in 2005; and

WHEREAS, Coach Jim Cavan continues to be a positive influence in the lives of thousands of graduates of R.E. Lee High School; he consistently exhibited the character traits of discipline, perseverance, loyalty, faith, and dedication to everyone he touched; and

WHEREAS, it is only fitting and proper that a lasting memorial to this great man and coach be established.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that this body joins in honoring the life of Coach Jim Cavan and dedicates the portion of SR 74 in Thomaston, Georgia, in Upson County, from its intersection with Church Street to its intersection with Holston Drive as the Coach Jim Cavan Memorial Parkway.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is authorized and directed to erect and maintain appropriate signs dedicating the Coach Jim Cavan Memorial Parkway.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit appropriate copies of this resolution to the family of Coach Jim Cavan and the Department of Transportation.