Coach Mike Gavin is a longtime coach and athletic director who guided programs at Harrison Central, St. John, D'Iberville, East Central, and Mississippi Gulf Coastt Community College. He began his 30-year coaching career in 1973 at Harrison Central as assistant football coach and head track coach. From 1978 to 1988, he served as head football coach and athletic director at St. John High where he also coached golf, softball, socccer, and track. After coaching football at East Central at Hurley from 1988 to 1990, he began his great coaching run at D'Iberville where he was head football coach and guided the powerlifting program from 1990 to 1997. Coach Gavin served as defensive coordinator at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College from 1997 to 2002, then serfved as defensive coordinator for Mississippi Firedogs indoor football team in 1999 and 2000 where he helped the Firedogs capture the 2000 IPFL Championship under MAC Hall of Fame member, Irvin Favre, with former Ole Miss star John Fourcade as quarterback. Mike moved to school administration when he became assistant principal at Stone Middle School from 2003 to 2006, then worked as principal from 2006 to 2011, and served as athletic director for the Harrison County School District from 2001 to 2014. Coach Gavin led his St. John, East Central, and D'Iberville football teams to a record of 114 wins and 92 losses out of 206 games played for a 55% winning mark. He paced St. John to district championships in 1982 and 1987, and D'Iberville to district championships in 1992, 1994, and 1995. During his career, he received five district coach of the year awards, three Ocean Springs Record All-Bay Area Coach of the Year accolades, four Mississippi Gulf Coast "Burger King" All-Star Coach of the year awards, a Mississippi Gulf Coast Football Hall of Fame Coach of the Year honor, and the 1987 MAC Athletic Director of the Year Award. Coach Gavin coached in the Bernard Blackwell Football All-Star Classic in 1988 as an assistant, and in 1993 as head coach, then served as assistant and administrative coach in the 1992, 1993, and 1997 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Football Classics. He also worked as assistant coach at the 1999 Mississippi Junior College All-Star game. Coach Gavin served on the MAC Board of Directors from 1978 to 1988 and as MAC President for 1982-1983, and was a member of the committees that were instrumental in creatinng the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Football Classic. He also served as Vice President and President of District VIII with MHSAA and had an 8-year stint on the legislative council. As St. John athletic director, he established softball, soccer, and golf programs while helping to build a $200,000 field house, helped D'Iberville build a $50,000 junior high field house, and as AD for the Harrison County Schools, added golf and tennis programs at West Harrison, volleyball at D'Iberville and introduced archery, middle school fast pitch softball and soccer throughout the district, and also organized a coaching clinic for area pee-wee football coaches. In 2024, Coach Gavin was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame.