Spotlighting Alfred Austin, the former Ribault High School girls basketball coach who coached for 25 years

The Front Porch History project, which was shown at the Ritz Theater and Museum in the historic LaVilla neighborhood in downtown, shares first-person stories of African Americans who helped change our schools, politics and everyday life in the city. It profiles teachers, neighborhood activists and everyday residents who pushed for progress. Among them was Alfred Austin, best known as Ribault’s celebrated High School girls’ basketball coach for 25 seasons beginning in 1978. He led the team to eight state titles and was inducted into the state high school athletics Hall of Fame. Austin was also a track & field star at Florida A&M University alongside future Olympic gold medalist and Dallas Cowboy Bob Hayes.