Cedric Brown, Tommy Tisdale and Willie Moore have competed against each other on the court for years as basketball coaches at Dallas County’s three public high schools.

All three schools have a tradition of excellence on the hardwood and the three coaches were able to continue that. Moore led Dallas County to a state championship in 2014 and a return trip to the Final Four in 2015. Tisdale’s team made the final four in 2011 and 2016, while Brown accomplished the same with Southside in 2013.

These three men make great role models, especially for young men, and show what can be accomplished through hard work in academics and athletics.

Despite all that success, the three men may have their most difficult and most consequential battles ahead — leading their schools as principals this fall.

Both Keith and Southside schools were deemed as “failing schools” earlier this year by the Alabama State Department of Education, meaning their math and reading schools fell in the bottom 6 percent of the state. Improving local schools is a long game but one that we can’t afford to lose.

“I think the competitive nature in all three of us will still be there; however, it’s not about a win and a loss now. We’re competing in the same battle, so we’re basically all three on the same team,” Tisdale said.

We hope all three men can accomplish in the classroom what they did on the court. We will be rooting for them.