Jim Alderman, the only man to lead Cape Henlopen High School to a football state championship, passed way on Thursday at the age of 77. That championship season for the Vikings occurred in 1979 when Cape defeated Caesar Rodney 37-6. Alderman was named DIAA Coach of the Year after winning that title. He took Cape to the title game on two other occasions, in 1978 losing to St. Marks 20-6 and in 1982 losing 35-14 to William Penn. He retired from coaching following the 1983 season. Alderman played college football at the University of North Carolina. In his 1963 senior season, the Tar Heels won the Atlantic Coast Conference and defeated Air Force in the Gator Bowl. After working as an assistant coach at North Carolina, the University of Virginia, and Cheyney, Alderman took over as Cape Henlopen head coach prior to the 1976 season. One of his former assistant coaches at Cape, Dan Cook, recalls that while he was teaching at the school Alderman would play for his students the song What A Wonderful World before the start class. After retiring from Cape Henlopen, he went to work for James Farm Ecological Preserve. He moved to Florida in his retirement years. It was during this later chapter of his life that Alderman had been battling pancreatic cancer On her Facebook page, Alderman's daughter Abby Jacobs described how the family played What A Wonderful World for him on Wednesday morning. Jim Alderman October 13, 1942 - July 10, 2020.
Former Cape Football Coach Jim Alderman Dies At Age 77
