Michael Pruitt was born and raised in Etowah County, AL. He graduated from Southside High School in 1988 where he wrestled for four years under the leadership and guidance of the late legendary Coach Jimmy Blanton. At Southside, Michael was a 4-year letterman in Wrestling and a 1-year letterman in Golf. He was on three AHSAA State Championship Wrestling Teams in 1985, 1986, and 1987. After graduating from Southside High, Michael attended Auburn University on an Army ROTC Scholarship, and was commissioned an Army Reserve Officer and graduated from Auburn in 1992. He graduated from Airborne School and served in the active reserves in the Military Police and Chemical Branches as an Officer until 2000. He went back to school for his Master's Degree in Secondary Education: Social Sciences at Jacksonville State University where he graduated in 1995. While working on his Master's Degree from 1992-1995, his former coach, Jimmy Blanton, asked him to help coach the Southside Wrestling Program. Michael helped coach those three years as an Assistant Varsity, Junior High, and Youth League Wrestling Coach. He also assisted Coach Blanton as an Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach for three years, in which one of them resulted in the team being AHSAA State Runners-Up. In 1995, Michael was hired as the Head Varsity Wrestling Coach at Arab High School. In his 24 years as the Head of the Knights Wrestling Program, his teams have won seven AHSAA Traditional State Championships (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018), two AHSAA Duals State Championships (2017 and 2018), and had four AHSAA Traditional State Runner-Up Team Finishes (2006, 2008, 2010, and 2019). His career dual meet coaching record as Head Coach is currently 602-139-3. Michael has coached 30 individual state champions, 125 state placers, and 214 state qualifiers. Michael was named the State of Alabama NFHS Coach of the Year for Wrestling in both 2013 and 2014. He has had the honor of serving as the District 8 Representative on the State Wrestling Committee since 2010. He was helpful in the AHSAA introducing the State Duals Championships in 2017, and has been active in working to grow the sport of wrestling in Alabama. Michael is grateful to be a part of the Alabama Wrestling Family and wants to continue to give back to our beloved sport, which has had such a profound, positive impact on his life. Michael currently teaches Psychology, Sociology, and World History at Arab High School, while also serving as an Assistant Junior High Football Coach. He is in a relationship with Keah Bennett and they have three dogs: Shamrock, Milo, and Harper.