The Pierce County football team anxiously awaits the start of the 2017 regular season. Jason Strickland was signed this offseason as the new head coach and brought a brand new coaching staff with him.
Strickland left the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes to replace Sean Pender and brought several coaches with him from Fitzgerald, including Jason Wicker, Will Winston, Brett Steverson, and Andrew Dent.
Jason Wicker is now the offensive coordinator of Pierce County and will have to establish an identity for this young offense that lost a majority of its starters last season. Wicker decided to follow Strickland from Fitzgerald after discussing the move with his wife and daughter. Wicker grew up in in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended Red Bank High School. He later attended Carson-Newman College to major in physical education. After graduation, he coached for numerous high schools — including Jefferson County, Pigeon Forge, Lamar County, and Fitzgerald — and is now in his first year of coaching at Pierce County. Wicker will teach weight training at PCHS and has every intention of helping PCHS “get stronger in the weight room.”
Will Winston is the new defensive coordinator for Pierce County, and the Bears defense will have to be the anchor for this team, as the majority of the defense returned. But before Winston became the defensive coordinator for PCHS, he was just a regular boy who grew up in Cairo, Georgia. He attended Cairo High School and then the University of Georgia. After graduation Winston coached for several high schools, including Peach County, Irwin County, Telfair County, Atkinson County, and Fitzgerald. While serving as the defensive coordinator, Winston will be the health and physical education teacher.
Brett Steverson will spend his first season at PCHS as the running backs coach. He was born in Macon, Georgia, and attended Fitzgerald High School, where he played offensive tackle under Strickland. Steverson attended Mercer University to play on the offensive line for the Mercer Bears and then coached for one season at Jackson High School, where he assisted on the offensive line. Steverson will teach American government and world history in addition to coaching for the football team.
Andrew Dent attended Worth County High School, where he played football as an outside linebacker and tennis. He later attended Georgia Southern to earn his major in finance. After graduating, Dent coached at his former high school until 2012, then joined the Fitzgerald coaching staff. Dent will teach algebra at PCHS and intends “to teach mental and physical toughness for both on and off the field” during his stint as a Bears coach.
These new coaches look to help develop the Bears into something special during their time here at Pierce County.
Written by: Jaron Raulerson
