Coach Bryan Love

By: Haroun Savage (NCMFC Staff)

For the latest member spotlight, I spoke to Wheeler High School (GA) Head Coach Bryan Love. It all started when Coach Love was 7 years old and living in Florida when he began to play football. Football quickly became very dear to him. Knowing he wanted to be a football coach from a young age, his father taught him something that stuck with him his whole career: to be a great football coach, he needed to learn both sides of the ball. Throughout his college career at West Virginia State, his coach, Carl Lee, was a former professional player who instilled in Coach Love the discipline and dedication required for those who wished to compete at the highest levels of their sport. He also learned much from other professionals, including Sterling Sharpe, which helped him better understand what it took to be a successful coach.

After graduating, Coach Love was poised to become a graduate assistant; however, life threw a curveball when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. He decided to return to Florida to remain close to her, a testament to his family values. After her passing, he reignited his passion for coaching and relocated to Georgia, motivated by the community's profound dedication to football.

Coach Love's coaching career gained momentum when he became an assistant coach under Jimmy Dorsey at McEachern High School and Jeff Herron at Camden County High School. That is where he learned relationship-building with players and the community, a cornerstone of his coaching philosophy. He received his first head coaching job at Westlake High School, where his prior relationship with the principal proved instrumental. Love led a team that had a 0-10 record the season before a 5-5 season with a playoff berth, where they took on his former school Camden County High School. The program had 3 consecutive playoff appearances and Love won back-to-back Coach of the Year honors for their region.

Mentorship has played a great role in molding Coach Love's path. Inspired by the wisdom of remarkable coaches like Jimmy Dorsey, Jeff Herron, Franklin Stephens, Jarrett Zito, and Ron Riddle, he holds very dearly the valuable lessons from each one of them and is resolutely dedicated to passing on the knowledge to the forthcoming generation of coaches.

Heading into his sixth season at Wheeler High School, Coach Love is enthusiastic about the prospects of his team.

Under his guidance, numerous players have pledged their futures to Division 1 schools, and an impressive 19 out of 23 seniors proudly maintain GPAs exceeding 3.0, a testament to his dedication to excellence both on and off the field. His tenure at Camden County High School, where he contributed to two state championship coaching staffs, remains a pivotal chapter in his journey, instilling in him the belief that with a shared vision of administration and the team having the right mindset, any team can achieve success.

Coach Love values his connection with his current and former players. He is always there for his players and does his best to provide them with all necessary support, on and off the field. He hopes to keep working his way up into college coaching someday but also wants to continue to expand his knowledge of the game. Coach Bryan Love has respect for the schools and coaches he has dealt with throughout his career. He wants to be able to give back someday to young coaches just as he was helped out during his younger years, building a legacy of mentorship, growth, and lifelong enthusiasm for football.

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