Coach Dooley is Director, Intramural and Athletic Sports at North Davis Preparatory Academy (NDPA). He teaches the school’s Jr. High School Health & Physical Education curricula, directs the school’s intramural sports programs and will coach the school’s basketball team(s). “Coach Dooley” is returning to the secondary education teaching and coaching career field, after a more than 30-year break, during which time he completed a Ph.D. in Physical Education (Exercise Science) at Brigham Young University (1979), served as an Assistant Professor of Education in Health & Physical Education at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio (1979-1984), then returned to the military service for more than 24 years as an Aerospace Physiologist in the United States Air Force (1984-2008). Colonel Dooley retired in an 11 July 2008 retirement ceremony at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, following which he and his wife, Deneal, and his youngest son, Aaron, relocated to Layton, Utah. Jim is married to the former Deneal Atkin of Tooele, Utah, and has five children and three grandchildren.

Coach Dooley was born in Panama City, Florida, but moved to Georgia in his youth, and graduated from Clarkston High School, DeKalb County, GA, in 1964. He was starting point guard on his school’s basketball team that won the Class B 1964 Georgia State Basketball Championship. He graduated from Georgia Southern College, with a B.S. in Education degree in 1968 and an M.S. for Teachers degree in 1969. In November 1969, during the Vietnam War era, he was commissioned at Quantico, Virginia, as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He completed Naval Flight Officer training at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, being designated as a Naval Flight Officer in September 1970. In 1972-73, as Bombardier/Navigator in the A-6 Intruder, he completed an aerial combat tour in Southeast Asia (Operations Linebacker and Linebacker II) and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and six awards of the Air Medal. After completing his 4-year tour in the U.S. Marine Corps, he returned to Georgia, where, for two years, he taught school and coached baseball, basketball, and tennis in the Southeastern Association of Independent Schools. In 1976, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and entered a Ph.D. program in Physical Education at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, graduating in 1979. In 1984, after five years as a university faculty at Wright State University, he was commissioned as a Biomedical Sciences Corps officer (Aerospace Physiologist) in the U.S. Air Force.

During his combined military tenure in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, he served in numerous operational, combat, research, and medical assignments. His military awards include: The “Iron Mike,” as the Officer Honor Graduate in the U.S. Army Airborne Course; the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal w/4 oak leaf clusters; the Air Medal w/ numeral “6” (U.S. Marine Corps award); the Department of Defense Joint Services Commendation Medal; Air Force Commendation Medal; and the Air Force Achievement Medal. Dr. Dooley’s civilian awards include: The Georgia Southern University, 2001 College of Health & Professional Studies’ Distinguished Alumnus Award; the 2002 Aerospace Medical Association Associate Fellows Group Ellingson Award for literary achievement; the 2007 Aerospace Medical Association’s Fred A. Hitchcock Award for Excellence in Aerospace Physiology; and the 2007 Aerospace Physiology Society’s President’s Award.

Dr. Dooley is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association. He holds professional board certifications in Aerospace Physiology and Hyperbaric Medical Technology and also is a Certified Health/Fitness Program Director (American College of Sports Medicine), a Health Promotions Director (Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research), and a Certified Fitness Program Manager (USAF School of Aerospace Medicine). His positions in professional societies have included: Current member of the Aerospace Medical Association Scientific Program Committee; the 2006 President, Aerospace Physiology Society; the 2001 President, Life Sciences & Biomedical Engineering Branch (Aerospace Medical Association); the1998 Chairman, Aerospace Physiology Certification Board; and the 1994 President, Pacific Chapter of the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society.

Coach Dooley hopes to develop and coach interscholastic athletic programs for years to come at North Preparatory Academy Jr. High School. His students and his family are the joys of his life.