HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Community members showed support for the proposed dedication of a walking trail bridge in honor of Coach William Falls. He is highly regarded for his youth outreach in Hopkinsville and was a legendary basketball coach at Attucks High School in the 60’s, which was a segregated school. Falls died in 1973 after being struck by a train near the location of the walking bridge.
In a presentation to the Committee of the Whole, Hopkinsville Mayor JR Knight spoke about Falls’ legacy in the area, saying how the coach was always committed to the youth of Hopkinsville.
“Under his leadership, the team won two state titles in the Kentucky High School Athletic League Championships, and advanced to a national tournament four times,” said a statement from the mayor’s office.
Coach Falls had a record of 663 wins and 233 losses at Attucks. After the local schools were integrated, he continued coaching at Hopkinsville High School and was posthumously inducted into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
The motion to dedicate the unnamed walking bridge over Lafayette Road in Falls’ honor passed unanimously by the committee. Community members and people close to Coach Falls attended the meeting to show support, with one attendee saying, “It’s a soft spot in our community, not just for the African American community but for the whole community…He really wanted to pour back into the lives of young people. So, this honor will really let everyone know and see his legacy.”