 From 1958 to 1973, Childress coached at Neville High School in Monroe, which he helped to lead to four state titles.He was the coach at Carroll High School in 1973 and at the private Cedar Creek School in Ruston from 1976 to 1978.He received his undergraduate degree at University of Louisiana at Monroe, then known as Northeast Louisiana State College; he was on the ULM coaching staff from 1974 to 1976.