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On Friday morning, legendary basketball coach Joel Vinson passed away at age 84. 

Vinson was the patriarch of what many consider to be Manchester’s first family of basketball.

Born on March 12, 1939, Joel Vinson began his basketball career as a player in elementary school, then continued to play until he graduated from DuPont High School in 1957.

Vinson would continue his athletic career in college, playing golf at Middle Tennessee State, but his love for basketball never left.

“Basketball never did leave me,” Joel told Matt Tyson of the Manchester Times back in 2019. “I always wanted to be a coach.”

After graduating from MTSU in 1962, Joel began his long coaching career at was then, Westwood Junior High School.

He coached the Lady Rockets in two different stints from 1962-1979 and from 1985-2004, going 350-148 overall.

Joel’s legacy lives on not only as the namesake of Westwood’s Joel Vinson Gymnasium, but through his two sons and his granddaughters.

Sons Matt and David Vinson both currently coach basketball with Matt being an Assistant Coach on the Coffee Central Lady Raiders, and David being the Head Coach of the Coffee County Middle School Lady Raiders.

Joel’s eldest granddaughter, Sophie Vinson played golf for Trevecca Nazarene while Bella Vinson currently plays basketball at Lipscomb and Olivia Vinson currently plays basketball for the Lady Raiders at Coffee Central.

Joel Vinson is also survived by his wife, Nancye Vinson and his sister-in-law, Mary Joan Vinson.

Visitation will take place on Tuesday, December 12 from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm at Central Funeral Home with a graveside service and burial taking place at 1:30 at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.