GHSF Daily asked Georgia head coaches to answer these four questions. We'll report from a different head coach each day.
Kareem Reid, Westlake
1. What is the real difference-maker in winning and losing in Georgia high school football? "I think wherever you're coaching, if the administration has committed to athletes and cares about the program being successful, that's probably the most important factor. It's up to them to get you the resources, and the programs that have the resources win the most. So I'd say an administration that has a priority on athletics as part of the overall vision of the school is the No. 1 difference."
2. Which player that you've coached is memorable mostly for his character or inspiration? "Tre Person. He's at Michigan State now as a freshman cornerback. He was a guy who was the personification of a team player and did anything we asked him to do. He'd play whatever position needed to win. He wasn't the biggest guy, but he would challenge the linemen or anybody to push themselves. He was a guy we pointed to and wanted other kids to model themselves after."
3. What is the best atmosphere for a high school game that you've experienced away from home? "There was a game we had down in Florida when I coached in Florida between Coconut Creek against Blanche Ely. I was the head coach of Coconut Creek when we played them, and we helped bring them back to relevance. Blanche Ely had a tradition of NFL players coming through there. We're only about four miles apart. All the players went to middle school together. It was a neighborhood rivalry, and the whole city was there. Guys were hanging over the fence to get a glimpse. In Georgia, we had a game at Harrison when I was at Pebblebrook. They had a good environment there with their student section. It was packed out pretty good."
4. As a player or coach at any level, which game do you wish you could play again? "Last year, our final game against Roswell in the semifinals. We just didn't play well offensively. I wish we could do a few things differently. We checked them pretty well on defense until we played too many plays and got a little tired." [Roswell won 28-0.]
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