BRETT VAVRA
POSITION: Head Football Coach
ATHLETIC BACKGROUND:
Coach Vavra played high school football at Sprayberry High School where he was a 4-year starter at Tight End, Fullback, and Middle Linebacker. His senior year he was named 1st team All-Region, and MDJ Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his career at Sprayberry with 389 total tackles and signed with the Naval Academy to play football. After 1 season at the Naval Academy Preparatory School, he transferred to Tennessee Tech University where he played 4 seasons at Middle Linebacker starting 3 years. In his senior season, he was voted All-OVC 2nd Team Defense, All-Academic District Team, 2-time OVC Defensive Player of the Week, and was named 2005 Tennessee Tech “Man of the Year”.
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
He began his coaching career at Sprayberry H.S. in the spring of 2005 as the linebackers coach and taught in the special education department. In fall of 2005, Coach Vavra spent one season coaching the Defensive Line at South Cobb High School whose defense gave up 5.5 points per game and won a region championship. In 2006, he coached the inside linebackers at North Cobb High School where they won a region championship. In addition to coaching football, he also managed the Girl’s Track and Field program. Coach Vavra then moved on to Sprayberry H.S. where he spent the next 5 seasons coaching linebackers, coordinating the special teams, coordinating the strength and conditioning program, and coaching Track and Field. In his time there, Sprayberry won a region championship (2008), made the state playoffs 4 out of 5 seasons, and finished state runner-up in track and field (2012). In 2012, Coach Vavra moved on to Etowah H.S. in Cherokee County as the Defensive Coordinator, Head Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, and Boy’s Head Track Coach. In 5 seasons at Etowah, his defenses allowed an average of 21 points a game, made a state semi-final run in 2014, and won 2 state championships with the weightlifting team. He was also named The Cherokee County Track Coach of the Year in 2016. Coach Vavra is in his 17th year of coaching and his 5th as the head coach at Sprayberry. They Yellow Jackets are coming off back-to-back playoff seasons and a 2nd round playoff appearance.
Coach Vavra resides in Marietta with his beautiful wife Mary and children, Serena (20), Lilly (11), and Greyson (1).
CHESTER RANSOM
POSITION: Wide Receivers Coach
EDUCATION:
Nashville-North HS, Nashville, TN
Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN: 1976-1980 (BS)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Nashville North High School - 3-Year Letterman in Varsity Football and Track.
Finished 3rd at State Track Meet in 4x200 Relay. Team set new school record for the event.
Middle Tennessee State - Track Team all 4 years, 3 Conference Championship Teams.
2 Outdoor Conference Championship Teams, 1 Indoor Conference Championship Team.
Events: 400 Intermediate Hurdles, 4x400 Relay, 4x200 Relay, 400 m, 600m, 800m
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Starting 39th year of coaching on CCSD.
2 years South Cobb High School Football Assistant Coach
Sprayberry High School: 1985-present
Starting 40th year coaching Track and Field, 35 years coaching Sprayberry Track and Field
Sprayberry Girls Basketball Coach: 2004-2007
Sprayberry Girls Track Head Coach: 1987-2022
Sprayberry Boys Head Track Coach: 2004-2007
South Cobb Boys Assistant Track Coach: 1983-1984
South Cobb Boys Head Track Coach: 1985
Powder Springs Youth Track Club Head Coach: 1981-1982
Coach Ransom lives with his wife Candace. Their son, Sean graduated from Sprayberry High School and GA Southern University. Sean and his wife Kaily have a daughter, Marie.
CHRIS STEWART
POSITION: Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
EDUCATION:
Pedagogy - Specialists in Coaching
Georgia State University - Masters Special Education
Jacksonville State University - B.S. Psychology
Graduate of Lassiter High School 1992
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Defensive Back / Wide Receiver Union College (Mid -South Conference Champions 1992
Francis L. Patridge Award (Excellence in Academics and Athletics)
Defensive Back Lassiter High School
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
22 years coaching experience, 12 years as a Defensive Coordinator
Sprayberry High School - Assistant Head Coach / Secondary
Walton High School - Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
South Forsyth High School - Outside Line Backs
Riverwood High School - Defensive Coordinator / Secondary
Wheeler High School - Secondary
Coach Stewart is married to Leigh Ann and they have a son Cole (13) and a daughter Alexis (12).
BILL BELLUS
POSITION: Running Backs
EDUCATION:
University of Dayton - BS Education
Georgia State - MS Education
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Bishop Timan High School Buffalo, NY - OL/DL
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
3 years in Ohio, 5 years in New York, 2 years in Illinois, 1 year in Virginia
4 years at Riverdale High School
1 year at Shiloh High School
14 years at Walton High School
1 year at Chattahoochee High School
Coached in one State Championship game - 2011
Coached in 3 State Semi-Final games - 1998, 2004, 2007
18 Playoff apperances
Coach Bellus has a daughter Ryan (15) and a son Lucas (14)
JOHN WERNQUIST
POSITION: Outside Linebackers
EDUCATION:
Brevard College - B.A. Mathematics
American College of Education - Masters of Education in Educational Technology
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Dorman High School
Illinois College - OL
Brevard College - OL/DL
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Brevard College - Student Assistant: 2009
St. Stephens High School - Assistant Football Coach, OL, DL, Inside LB
St. Stephens High School - Assistant Track and Field Coach: 2011-2012
St. Stephens High School - Head Track and Field Coach: 2013
Camden High School - 9th Grade WR & DL: 2013-2014
Spartanburg Christian Academy - Defensive Coordinator, DL, LB: 2016-2018
Spartanburg Christian Academy - Assistant Baseball Coach: 2015-2016
Spartanburg Christian Academy - Head MS Basketball Coach: 2015-2018
Gable Middle School - Assistant Football Coach/Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers; 2018-2021
Coach Wernquist lives with his wife Christine and their two daughters, Cadence (3) and Ramsey (1)
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ROBERT JENKINS
POSITION: Offensive Line
EDUCATION:
Sprayberry High School
Lipscomb University
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Lipscomb Campus School - Football
Pebblebrook High School - Football, Lacrosse
Coach Jenkins and his wife Amanda have four children, Randi (11), Evie (8), Ben (6), and Lulu (2).
MIKE DAVIDSON
POSITION: Outside Linebackers
EDUCATION:
Darlington High School - Rome,GA
Mars Hill College - North Carolina
Jacksonville State University
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Darlington High School - QB/DB, Kicked/Punted
Mars Hill - Kicked & Punted
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Entering 40th year of teaching and coaching
Coached on both sides of the ball, many positions
Coached in the North/South Allstar Game with Wayne Bradshaw of East Hall
Coached at the following: Dade Co., Armuchee, Oglethorpe Co. & Walton
Coach Davidson and his wife Missy have three daughters, Mackenzie (married to Juron Dobbs), Mackalie and Lindie
JESUS VENTURA
POSITION: Head Freshman Coach
EDUCATION:
Bachelors of Arts in Psychology - Pace University: 2015
South Bronx High School: 2009-2011
DeWitt Clinton High School: 2007-2009
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Pace University - Wide Receiver (NCAA Division 2)
South Bronx High School - Wide Receiver
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Lassiter High School - Running Backs Coach: 2021
A. Philip Randolph High School - Outside Linebackers & Running Backs Coach: 2018-2020
Bronx Buccaneers - Receivers Coach: 2016-2018
Coach Ventura has a passion for teaching and mentoring students as well as college counseling. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Ashley, who serves as a Financial Aid Counselor at Kennesaw State University. They welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Alessia last November.