Jerry Cecil graduated from Greenwood High School in 1964, earned his BS degree at Arkansas Tech in 1968, and earned his MSE at Arkansas State University in 1977. He spent eight years coaching football, basketball, track, and baseball in Missouri. In 1974, he was selected for the Kenny Knox Memorial Coach of the Year in foot-ball for southeast Missouri. He spent nine years in Jackson, Tennessee, as head football and baseball coach and athletic director. He was selected Midwest Tennessee Coach of the Year in football in 1978 and in 1984.
Cecil returned to his hometown of Greenwood in 1985. He served as high school principal for 12 years, assistant superintendent for 19 years and athletic director from 2000 to 2016. He spent a total of 48 years in the education profession, the last 31 of which were in the Greenwood School District. During his tenure as athletic director, the Greenwood Bulldogs won a total of 27 team state championships and had 29 team state runners-up. During that time the program also produced 64 conference championships. With Cecil as athletic director, Greenwood made a smooth transition from class 5A to class 6A. As a member of the Arkansas High School Athletic Administrators Association, Cecil served for 14 years, along with Doug Killgore, as a State Coordinator for the NIAAA Leadership Training Program. He also served on the AHSAAA Awards Committee, the Executive Committee from 2002 to 2016, served as treasurer from 2011 to 2013 and as president of the AHSAAA from 2013 to 2015. Cecil was selected for the AHSAAA State Award of Merit in 2011, Distinguished Service Award in 2010 and 2014, and the Arkansas Activities Association Meritorious Service Award in 2016. He was also nominated for the NIAAA Frank Kovaleski Award and the NIAAA Citation Award. He was 5A West Athletic Director of the Year in 2005. Cecil was a member of Focus on Greenwood and the Kiwanis Club for 19 years and served on the Board of Directors for Comprehensive Juvenile Services for six years. He also served on the Staff-Parrish Commit-tee at Grace Community Church. Jerry and his wife, Fran, are members of Grace Community Church in Fort Smith. They have two children, Jared and Karen. Jared and wife, Lisa, live in Bentonville. Karen and husband, Dr. James Donelson, live in Joplin, Missouri. Jerry and Fran have three grandsons, Joseph Cecil and Jaden and Camden Donelson.