West Alabama Makos head coach Taylor Bates won the Coach of the Year award in the National Developmental Football League for the 2013 season.

Bates said in the final game of the season, his players did exactly what he had been preaching all season long. They believed in themselves.

The Makos lost the game, but Bates said his team did everything he had asked.

“The main thing I’ve been trying to do all season was getting them to believe in themselves, and in that game, they did that,” he said. “That was a tough loss, but everything came together for us in that game.”

The NDFL is a 16-team league with teams from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

Bates said he had a good team this season, but will continue to strive to get better for next season.

“I’m in the process of interviewing coaches for the 2014 season,” he said. “I’m going to bring back several guys from this year’s team and will be looking to add some new guys when tryouts roll around in the fall.”

Bates said that anyone interested in coaching should contact him by email at taylorbates79@yahoo.com.