Official – Basketball
Clyde “C.B.” Akins was born on May 4, 1950, to Robert and Mary Lee Akins in Bath Springs, TN. The youngest of six children, C.B. soon lost his father to an untimely death one year later, leaving his mother to raise her family on her own. When his family moved from Tennessee to Illinois in 1955, C.B. starred in basketball in grade school and high school. He was the starting point guard for Carrier Mills High School in Carrier Mills, IL, from which he graduated in 1968. After high school, C.B. continued playing basketball on various Air Force All-Star Teams in Texas and Germany while serving in the United States Air Force from 1969-1973.
Known as “Shake and Bake” during his basketball playing days in high school and the United States Air Force, C.B.’s love for the sport led him to start refereeing in the 1st Region in Western Kentucky in 1974. He was consistently ranked as one of the region’s top referees during his 10-year stint in the black and white stripes. After moving to Lexington, KY, in 1983, C.B. continued refereeing for another 13 years, officiating both high school and small college games as a member of the Bluegrass Basketball Association. Known as “the referee who knew the rules like the back of his hand,” C.B. called one girls’ and four boys’ KHSAA Sweet 16 state tournaments, reaching the pinnacle of success for high school officials in Kentucky. C.B. later served as a trainer of basketball officials for the KHSAA, always executing his craft with class and excellence.
During his tour of duty in the Air Force from 1969-1973, C.B. graduated from the Defense Language Institute, Czechoslovakian Department, Monterey, CA, in 1971, and the University of Maryland, German Department, Rimbach, Germany, in 1972. From 1973 to 1980, he taught foreign languages in the Military Intelligence Division of the U.S. Army Reserves. C.B. has studied eight languages, including Czechoslovakian, Russian, Chinese Mandarin, German, French, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
A lifelong learner, C.B. also holds an Associate Degree in Business Administration (1976) and Associate of Arts Degree from Paducah (KY) Junior College (1978), a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Kentucky (1993), a Master of Divinity Degree (1996) and a Doctor of Ministry Degree (2001) from Lexington Theological Seminary. C.B. also holds honorary degrees from Simmons College of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, and Lexington Theological Seminary, and he has been named to a plethora of boards and leadership positions throughout the city, state, and nation.
C.B. was raised in church by a praying mother. Responding to the call to the ministry in 1977, he was ordained in 1980 and pastored Carneal Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Paducah, KY, from 1980-1983. Most recently, he pastored First Baptist Church, Bracktown, from 1983 until retiring in 2020 after 38 years. He has authored two books, From Burden to Blessing and Serve Faithfully – Exit Gracefully.
Rev. Dr. Akins married the Rev. Dr. Roszalyn M. Akins in 1983 and is the father of four children: Alicia Chantell Akins, Neesha Sherrill, CJ Akins, and CeKesha Akins. He also has one bonus goddaughter, Jaynae Boateng, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
