Editor’s note: This is part of a series of articles highlighting prominent black leaders in Warren in honor of Black History Month.
Long before she became known for coaching winning tracksters, Janice Reddick became co-owner of a funeral home.
Now, 29 years later, she and her family still operate Reddick Funeral Home, with her as vice president and co-owner. She still works there on weekends.
Born and raised in Warren, Reddick began school at Warren Head Start, which was located at the old Brunson Elementary School. She attended first through third grades at Eastside Elementary, fourth through sixth grades at Westside Elementary, seventh and eighth grades at the old Warren Junior High and ninth through 12th grades at Warren High School, graduating in the Class of 1983.
During her high school years, Reddick played basketball and ran track. She next entered Henderson State University, playing volleyball and basketball in her freshman year, and majoring in physical education with a minor in health. She took one year off to go to Los Angeles to stay with her Aunt Lucille but graduated in December 1989. She became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha of Theta ETA Chapter Sorority in 1986 at HSU.
While in 10th grade, she worked at Wagnon Place Nursing Home (now Chapel Woods Health and Rehabilitation) as a “kitchen tray girl,” putting silverware with plates and making sure the residents got the right deserts. Later, she went to work at Bradley County Memorial Hospital (now Bradley County Medical Center) in the dietary department. During her time at HSU, she would come home to work at the hospital on Saturdays and Sundays.
Her first coaching job was at Walker High School in Magnolia in 1990. She taught high school special education and coached senior girls basketball. The next year, she went to Mount Holly High School and taught high school special education and coached high school basketball.
Reddick had to take a year off due to illness but came to Warren High School in 1994 as an alternative education teacher for one year. She began teaching seventh-grade health classes for three years and then taught elementary physical education.
She became the junior girls basketball coach and the junior and senior girls track coach. She is now in her 29th year of coaching.
“When my boys made it to high school, I left basketball and was strictly a track coach,” she said. “I have the privilege of teaching my grandson, Jaxton Reddick, PE this year.”
She married Billy Reddick in November 1992. They have two sons, Billy Jr., married to Nicole, with their children, Jaxton and Isabella, living in Warren; and Dustin, married to Lisa, living in Little Rock.
“I’m teaching kids and grandkids of my former students. A majority of my family still lives here and I like being close to them,” Reddick said. She is the 11th child of 12 children in her family. “None of this would be possible without my family, whom I love very much,” she said.
She recalled that Ann Smith coached her in basketball and track along with Don Whittemore. Glenetta Burks was her seventh-grade English teacher and then became her boss at Warren Middle School principal. Andrew Tolbert became superintendent as she worked under him. Track volunteers had been Jimmy Cuthbertson and Doug Spencer.
“It takes a lot of work to get these girls where they need to be at but with some, it just comes naturally,” she said.
Her track teams have won the following awards:
- 1995: Indoor state track meet runner-up; 8AA District champions; State Track Meet runner-up.
- 1999: Junior 8AAA District champions.
- 2001: 8AAA Conference Junior and 8AAA Conference Senior champions.
- 2002: 8AAA Conference Junior and Senior champions.
- 2003: 8AAA Conference Junior and Senior champions.
- 2006: 8AAA Conference Junior champions.
- 2007: 8AAA District Junior and Senior champions.
- 2008: 8AAAA District Junior and Senior champions.
- 2009: 8AAAA District Junior and Senior champions.
- 2010: 8AAAA District Junior champions.
- 2011: 8AAAA District Junior champions.
- 2013: Juniors and Seniors finished fourth in conference.
- 2014: 8AAAA District Junior runner-up; Senior, third place.
- 2015: Juniors, runners-up in conference; Seniors, third place.
- 2016: Juniors, runners-up in conference; Seniors, third place.
- 2017: Juniors, runners-up in conference.
- 2018: Seniors, runners-up in conference.
- 2019: Juniors, third in conference.
- 2020: COVID-19 restrictions, no meets held.
- 2021: Juniors, 8AAA District champions.
- 2022: Juniors, 8AAA District champions.
This year, the State Indoor Track Meet will be held on Feb. 18 in Fayetteville. Reddick is hoping her team brings home the gold.
