Jimmy Starling

2026 Inductee

Jimmy Starling instilled in his players a strong work ethic, accountability, perseverance, and a refusal to give up. If you ask him, he’ll tell you his greatest accomplishment is his family—but we also know the profound impact he made on generations of players and students over his 35 years of coaching and teaching.

Long before he was pacing the sidelines, he was a standout athlete at his alma mater, East Ridge High School. He lettered in football, basketball, and baseball, earning Honorable Mention All-City in football and All-City honors in baseball for two years. He went on to play baseball at UTC, competing in the 1971 NCAA playoffs, and ultimately earned his Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education from Middle Tennessee State University.

His 35-year career in the Chattanooga area is a testament to his unwavering dedication to student-athletes. He began with a 12-year stint at Chattanooga Valley High School, taking on the heavy mantle of Head Football, Head Basketball, and Head Baseball Coach. He then returned to East Ridge for five years as Head Basketball and Assistant Football Coach before arriving here at Ridgeland in 1994.

During his seven years as the Panthers’ Head Football Coach, he led Ridgeland to four state playoff berths. Throughout his career, his excellence was repeatedly recognized, earning him Coach of the Year honors from the Chattanooga News-Free Press for baseball in 1986, and for football in 1987 and 1995.