Augusta Christian shaped coach's career
For almost 20 years, Bryan Wilson has been a part of Augusta Christian Schools. The relationship between the Lions and Wilson started when he first attended the school for kindergarten in 1987.
After graduating in 1999 and spending seven years as a coach in the Augusta Christian athletic department, he's taking a step up in the world of high school sports.
Wilson has accepted the athletic director position at Curtis Baptist School in Augusta and will serve as the Crusaders' head varsity football, girls basketball and track coach starting in the fall.
"The years I spent at ACS were very valuable to me," Wilson said. "Working in that program has given me the ambition to take this job."
The offer from Curtis Baptist came after Wilson served as assistant coach on the 2005 state champion Augusta Christian football team.
Former Curtis Baptist athletic director Robert Ferguson said he hopes Wilson will bring a winning tradition back to the Crusader football program.
"We've struggled in football, and we're looking for that to change," Ferguson said. "Since the announcement we've had more in the weight room than I've ever seen."
Curtis Baptist students first met Wilson at a news conference in April. In attendance were several eager football and girls basketball players.
"I'm very encouraged and surprised to get a coach like that," quarterback Corey McConnell said. "I'm ready for football right now."
Wilson's seven years at Augusta Christian allowed him to tally a long list of accomplishments. He coached the first undefeated and untied middle school football team, started the school's junior varsity football program and was named the Georgia Independent Schools Association's Region 1-AAA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002.
In girls basketball, Wilson has served as head coach on the junior varsity squad and assistant coach on the varsity team for four years. He was head coach for the 2005 and 2006 girl's track team that won two consecutive South Carolina Independent Schools Association state championships.
Teams that Wilson has served as either assistant or head coach at Augusta Christian in the 2005-06 school year earned a 75-8 overall record.
Augusta Christian athletic director Bruce Lane said Wilson is the fifth assistant coach he's had who has gone on to take a head coaching job elsewhere.
"We're flattered that Curtis Baptist wanted to hire one of our coaches. I think that is one of the occupational hazards of being a head coach," Lane said. "Bryan has the ability to go in and work at a great school with kids that want to succeed. It's well deserved."
Wilson and his Curtis Baptist girls basketball team will face Augusta Christian during the 2006-07 season.