Ronnie Driver is shaping Oakman basketball through excellence, faith, and a commitment to developing young men.

Words by Karen McCain | Images by Justin Hunter

Basketball has shaped much of Ronnie Driver’s life. As a player at Dora High School, he competed under Coach Heath Burns, who recognized his potential and encouraged him to pursue coaching. That guidance helped set Driver on the path to becoming both a teacher and a coach.

Driver began his coaching career as a volunteer before serving as an assistant and head coach at six different schools throughout Alabama, ranging in class from 1A to 7A. Eventually, he returned to work alongside Burns as an assistant coach at Jasper High School.

In 2025, Driver took over as head coach at Oakman High School. In his first season, he earned Daily Mountain Eagle Coach of the Year honors and led the team to a Walker County High School Tournament championship.

For Driver, however, coaching goes far beyond offense and defense. He sees it as an opportunity to help boys grow into men.

“My philosophy of coaching is to pursue excellence in every area of life—in the classroom, socially, mentally, and emotionally,” he says. “If you pursue excellence in your life, you will not give up when times get tough.”

That philosophy extends into the classroom. As a teacher, Driver emphasizes academics and makes sure practices end early enough for players to study and complete their work.

“We want them to maintain at least a seventy-five average,” he says.

If a student falls below that mark, he may be required to work on assignments during practice.

“They may lose playing time, but I want them to know that grades are important,” Driver says.

His players finished the season with a 3.3 team GPA overall.

When Driver arrived at Oakman, a school not traditionally known for basketball, he set out to reshape the program’s identity.

“I want to make Oakman basketball something the community can be proud of,” he says. “The kids have fully bought into that idea. I do not want our program to look like anyone else’s.”

Driver also understands that each player brings different strengths, struggles, and circumstances to the team.

“They all make mistakes and struggle with different things. We try to meet them where they are,”he says.

That support can take many forms, including one-on-one conversations, involving parents, or working closely with administrators and teachers.

The impact of Driver’s approach is clear to Oakman junior Hampton Hall.

“I love playing for Coach Driver because he pushes me to my limit but has also built a great personal relationship with me,” Hall says. “He works as hard as anybody to make Oakman the best it can be. I would not want to play for anybody else.”

Freshman Barrett Painter echoed that sentiment.

“Coach Driver makes us believe we can do things we never thought we could,” Painter says. “He does not just build better players; he builds better people.”

Driver is quick to credit fellow coaches, administrators, parents, players, and the broader community with helping build the program.

“I want everyone to buy into our vision,” he says. “The key is to give them something to believe in. We want our players to represent the program well and give the community something it can be proud of.”

Former student Allie Rigsby said two of Driver’s defining qualities are simple: “He is hilarious and he loves Jesus!”

That faith is visible throughout the program, with players often praying before and after games. Driver said he does not force his beliefs on anyone, but he wants students to understand how important faith is to him.

His life verse is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Driver said the strength he relies on comes not from himself, but from Jesus.

Though Driver has learned from many mentors throughout his career, he said his family has been his greatest source of support.

“My wife, Amanda, talks me off the ledge when I get upset,” he says. “She listens to whatever I’m dealing with and helps me work through it.”

He also praises his children—Mason, Syler and AuBree—for understanding the demands of coaching. Driver called his family the “real MVPs” behind his career.

Driver may not know exactly what the future holds for Oakman basketball, but he is certain about the effort he will give the program.

“We are going to build the best program we can,” he says.

His short-term goals are to keep winning, remain Walker County champions, and make school history by reaching the Alabama High School Athletic Association Sweet 16.

“Coaching is a huge blessing for me,” Driver says. “And I will continue to give it everything I have.” 78