By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–As school leaders go, Jacob Cross ranks among the very best.
The Union City High School Principal was recognized as the A.F. Bridges Principal of the Year for District 8 in a TSSAA West Regional meeting Wednesday in Jackson.
Cross, who is in his 16th year as an administrator at his alma mater, was lauded for his exemplary work for the 2021-22 school year – his fifth as UCHS Principal.
He was nominated for the award by colleagues from rural West Tennessee, who acknowledged his many outstanding qualities and traits. Cross was among seven persons feted in ceremonies that honored school administration and coaching personnel, along with special contributors from Region 8.
The A.F. Bridges Awards are given in honor of the TSSAA’s first executive secretary. Bridges served as executive secretary from 1946 until his retirement in 1972. Under his leadership, athletics in the state of Tennessee reached a level of excellence and competence that earned the respect of all people.
Bridges was a person of high principles who displayed firmness and fairness, as well as the high ideals of ethics and integrity, as he and many other school people established the foundations of TSSAA.
“It was truly an honor to be part of an award ceremony that recognizes sportsmanship and doing the right thing,” the Union City Principal said afterward. “These awards are synonymous with making right decisions and overseeing men and women who share that same philosophy.”
Among his many admirable qualities, Cross was recognized for his organizational skills, loyalty, involvement, and personal relationships within the UC Schools family.
The A.F. Bridges Awards program includes divisional awards for schools with exemplary sportsmanship. Awards for individuals in the categories of School System Administrator of the Year, Principal of the Year, Athletic Director of the Year, Female Coach of the Year, Male Coach of the Year, Official of the Year, and Contributor of the Year were also presented.
All totaled, the awards recognize 63 individuals and 27 schools from all parts of the state that represent what’s best in high school athletics.
Nominations were made by a Citizenship/Sportsmanship Committee and member schools in each athletic district, with the final selection made by a state selection committee.