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FAMU football coach James Colzie III opens up about side quest as an SEC softball umpire
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- FAMU football coach James Colzie III opens up about side quest as an SEC softball umpire
Head coaches have hobbies, too.
When he's not drawing up plays and leading Florida A&M's football program , James Colzie III is on the clay calling strikes, balls, and outs during Southeastern Conference softball games.
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The Rattlers head coach recently went viral from an ESPN broadcast that spotlighted him as a home plate umpire during a March 10 game as Mississippi State softball hosted Auburn.
Florida A&M head football coach James Colzie III has served as a softball umpire since 2009. Here he is officiating a ranked Southeastern Conference matchup between Mississippi State and Auburn on March 10, 2025.
Colzie umpired the ranked SEC contest while his FAMU football team was on spring break from classes and spring camp.
"As an umpire, you always try to be low key. But you guys know I've been doing this for a while," the second-year FAMU head coach told the Tallahassee Democrat. "It gives me an opportunity to do something I've been doing for a long time."
Colzie has been umpiring games since 2009.
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"It's a good hobby. I've been doing it for quite some time," Colzie said. "It's something I do on the weekends. I love to do it."
Officiating is a role his father also did. James Colzie Jr. officiated over 4,000 basketball, softball, and volleyball contests for the Florida High School Athletic Association and is in the organization's Hall of Fame as an administrator .
Sports knowledge has been passed down to Colzie III, who starred in football, baseball, and basketball at South Miami Senior High School before playing football and baseball at Florida State.
Despite knowing the game and his nearly two-decade-long officiating career, Colzie sometimes says he gets questioned.
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But as a head coach who may have to get onto officials at times, Colzie understands it.
"In the SEC, it's the top softball in the country," Colzie said.
"No matter what stadium you go into, it's going to be someone who doesn't like you. But I've been fortunate to be doing it for quite some time. So, I got a bit of a reputation for being pretty good. But trust me, there are some days where not everyone likes me."
Colzie takes umpiring seriously.
However, his top priority is head coaching the FAMU football team as he's shifted gears back to spring practice.
The Rattlers will have their sixth spring practice and first scrimmage on Thursday, March 27. The Orange and Green Spring Game is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 at 4 p.m., on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
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To open the 2025 football season , FAMU will be in Colzie's hometown of Miami to face the Howard Bison in the Orange Blossom Classic on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Hard Rock Stadium. It'll be a rematch of the 2023 Celebration Bowl, which saw the Rattlers claim the Black College Football National Championship .
"Believe me when I tell you that the number one priority is being the head football coach at Florida A&M ," Colzie said. "And we're going to be ready to go this season."
Florida A&M Football Spring Practice Schedule
Florida A&M linebacker Nay'Ron Jenkins goes through drills during the Rattlers' first spring football practice of 2025 on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, Friday, March 7, 2025.
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Thursday, March 27 ― Scrimmage
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Friday, March 28
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Tuesday, April 1
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Thursday, April 3 ― Scrimmage
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Friday, April 4
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Tuesday, April 8
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Thursday, April 10
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Saturday, April 12 ― Orange and Green Spring Game
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Monday, April 14
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Wednesday, April 16
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
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Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Inside FAMU football coach James Colzie's hobby as an SEC softball umpire
