One of the MAC founders, Coach Tom Cotten was a superb championship football coach at New Albany, Quitman, and Shelby. Tom hails from Summit where he was a multi-sport letterman and he received his college degrees from Mississippi State and Southern Miss. The World War II Navy veteran began his 15-year coaching career at New Albany. After leading his teams for 4 seasons, Coach Cotten would begin the first of two coaching stints at Quitman. He coached at Quitman for 4 seasons from 1952 to 1955 before moving to Shelby. At Shelby High in his only season of coaching football, he led the team to an undefeated 9-0 season and the Cotton Boll Conference title in 1956. Tom then returned to Quitman where he would coach for 6 more seasons until 1962. Overall, Coach Cotton’s football teams won 68 games, lost 69, and had 5 ties. Tom would then enter school administration and served the Quitman School District for 34 years as an educator and superintendent. Coach Cotton was one of the early founders of the MAC and served as MAC President for the 1959-60 term. Coach Cotton passed away on April 21, 2020.