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 18th year of coaching and his 6th 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 Woodstock with his beautiful wife Mary and children, Serena, Lilly, and Greyson.

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:
23 years coaching experience, 13 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 and a daughter Alexis. 


BEN MCLANE
POSITION: Offensive Coordinator / Quarter Backs


JACK MARINICH
POSITION: Special Teams Coordinator

Education: Associates Degree Lawrence University

Playing Experience: 2 years at Lawrence University

Coaching Experience:  4 years at Sprayberry High School

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 40h 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.





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 and a son Lucas.





MIKE DAVIDSON
POSITION: Tight Ends / Full Backs

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.



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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, Evie, Ben, and Lulu.





BRENT HAYGOOD
POSITION: Offensive Line

EDUCATION:
Pebblebrook High School - Class of 1989
Georgia College - Class of 1993
Masters: American College Education 2017
Specialist: Augusta University 2021

PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Pebblebrook High School Football, Wrestling, Track, Golf
Georgia College 4 Years Cross Country

COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Dodge County High School - 1993-1995
Pebblebrook High School - 1999-2005
McEachern High School - 2005-2008, 2012-2019
Harrison High School - 2008-2012
Osborne High School - 2019-2023

Coach Haygood lives in Marietta and is married to his wife, Julie. They have two children, Emma and Josh.






BRAD TROUT, JR.
POSITION: Defensive Line

EDUCATION:
Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School
Kennesaw State University, Valdosta State University

2023 marks Brad Trout’s 18th year coaching high school football.  Coach Trout coached at The Walker School in Marietta, GA as the Defensive Coordinator and at South Cobb High School in Austell, GA as Defensive Coordinator and Special Teams Coordinator.  He has also coached defensive backs and linebackers.  Coach Trout has coached high school lacrosse, basketball, girls soccer, and girls flag football. 

Prior to his coaching career, Coach Trout was a standout player at Hialeah Miami-Lakes High School in Miami, FL. He earned a football scholarship to Valdosta State University. Following a decorated college career, Coach Trout signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1998 as a safety. From there, he went on to play for the Denver Broncos, where he was allocated to the NFL Europe Barcelona Dragons. In 2000, he was drafted by the XFL NY/NJ Hitmen and was named to the All-XFL team. He concluded his professional career with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Coach Trout enjoys his children’s sporting activities, fishing, and tinkering in his spare time. He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Marietta. They have 2 boys who play football and a daughter who plays soccer and basketball.

JESUS VENTURA
POSITION: Outside Line Backers

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 in November 2021.





JOHN WERNQUIST
POSITION: Inside 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 and Ramsey.




GORDON CARR
POSITION: Defensive Line