This week’s ITG Next Alabama “4 Questions with the Coach” guest is Prattville Christian Academy head football coach Norman Dean. Coach Dean took over as the Panthers coach in 2021, and he has steadily improved the PCA football program over that time.
The school is a basketball powerhouse, but in football Dean inherited a program that had won just one game in the previous two seasons, finishing a combined 1-21 in 2019 and 2020. He lead the Panthers to a 3-7 season in year one while implementing his culture and style of football. They showed improvement in Dean’s second season, finishing 5-5, and through the first half of the current season, PCA is 3-2.
What does Dean think about his Prattville Christian Academy football team in the 2023 season so far, and is this the year the Panthers make the playoffs? Let’s hear from him on that and other topics in this week’s “4 Questions” segment.
Q. Coach Dean, thanks for joining us. I mentioned your brief tenure so far at PCA, but you have been quite successful throughout your career before arriving at Prattville, with 26 years of coaching under your belt. What was the process that brought you to PCA?
A. I knew people who worked for PCA. I always thought it was a diamond in the rough and could be an excellent place to build a great program.
Q. What is your philosophy and how have you implemented that in all three phases of the Prattville Christian Academy football program?
A.I believe football should be fun and kids should enjoy playing. I ask myself, “Would I want to be coached by me?” So we love our players and coach them like they were our sons. We ask them to give great effort and execute to the best of their abilities. I believe it is working. We have increased the number of kids in our program and they are playing together as a team.
Q. Last year you guys finished 5-5 and were one possession away from making the playoffs. You returned a solid group of seniors from that 2022 team, and so far things are working out pretty well, with your team at 3-2 through the first half of the regular season. I mentioned in the introduction that we would ask your thoughts on the season so far, as well as the remainder of the season. How do you feel about the team’s performance through five games, and what is the outlook moving forward?
A. We are constantly moving forward. Wins and loses come and go, but we work every day to improve as players and as young men. The second half of the season will be tough, with great programs as opponents, but our kids are working hard to give us our best chance to win.
Q. Let’s end the round of questions by asking about your players. Who has emerged as team leaders on and off the field, and who will be returning beyond this season?
A. Senior leadership has been the key for our improvement. All the seniors have been doing a great job of leading our team. Several standouts have been Liam Taylor, Tanner Byrd, and Logan Weedon. Juniors Ryan Keifer, Cody Baker, and Coner Williams will be key players to keep our team improving next year.
