Gary Averett was born on April 19, 1956, to Clyde and Mary Averett in Birmingham, AL. After a tragic accident resulting in his father's death in 1968, Gary’s family relocated to Coaling, AL were he attended Brookwood High School. Gary was an active member of the first wrestling team at Brookwood High in 1971-72 coached by Jack Cook and continued his wrestling career at Brookwood High School under the tutelage of Robert Humphreys from 1972-74. After serving honorably in the United States Marine Corps, Gary enrolled at the University of Alabama in the fall of 1979 where he pursued a B.S. Degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation for grades K-12. During his time at the university, Gary volunteered as a student coach at both Tuscaloosa County and Brookwood High schools. Gary also formed the Tuscaloosa Wrestling Officials Association servicing all Tuscaloosa and Pickens County events. Gary continued these pursuits until 1983, his year of graduation, and the year wrestling was dropped by local schools as a viable part of extracurricular activities. From 1984-1995, Gary taught physical education and health at both Northside and Tuscaloosa County High Schools. His coaching assignments included Head Junior High Football, Assistant Varsity Football, Assistant Varsity Baseball and Head Track Coach. In the fall of 1995, Gary transferred to Brookwood High School to teach Health and was assigned as Assistant Varsity Football, Head Junior High Wrestling, Strength and Conditioning for All Wrestling, and Head Junior High Baseball. While at Brookwood High School, Gary started a youth program in the fall of 1997. This would prove to be an instrumental step to the success of future junior high and high school teams and individuals. In 2000, The Brookwood High School Team won the State Championship in the Class 4A Division. For much of his career, Gary coached the varsity, junior high and youth programs at Brookwood on a daily basis. His dedication to wrestling at all levels has brought success to his teams as well as individual wrestlers. After Gary’s retirement in 2017, he continued to host summer clinics and weekly workouts for Brookwood and other surrounding schools without benefit of compensation. In 2022, Gary again formed another youth wrestling program, the Coaling Grapplers, a program designed to replace the disbanded Brookwood Youth Program. He continues today as a certified volunteer coach for the Brookwood High School and Middle School programs. Throughout his entire career, Gary has freely given his time and knowledge, not only to Brookwood Wrestling, but to all of wrestling. Gary’s love of family and dedication to this sport has been his complete refuge. There is something floating around out there somewhere and it has found a home in his family's DNA. Through good times and bad times, Gary has strived to remain steadfast and constant, to his family, to his peers, to all wrestlers and to the sport. His door is never locked.