Today’s interviewee is Fellowship Christian coach Tim McFarlin, who got his 200th victory last week in a 37-0 win over Clarkston. McFarlin is one of 15 GHSA coaches to win state titles at two schools (Roswell, Blessed Trinity). He left Blessed Trinity and took the Fellowship Christian job this past offseason.
Tim McFarlin, Fellowship Christian head coach
1. Win No. 200. How would you rank them 1-200? Just kidding. Could you mention a couple or three that stand out the most and why? And is there a sleeper in the list, one that might mean something special to you that others might not think about? “That’s a really tough question because I don’t want to leave a game out, and they tend to run together when you start looking back. Obviously, the 2017 win at Cartersville will always be high on the list for obvious reasons [Blessed Trinity ended Cartersville’s 41-game winning streak in Trevor Lawrence’s last high school game], but a close second is the 2015 semifinal game against Calhoun that was played at BT. Hal Lamb had an outstanding team, and the entire town of Calhoun was there. It was an electric atmosphere, and we had to make a fourth-down stop on our 4-yard line with just a few seconds on the clock to get the win. As far as special wins, I’d have to say the early years at Roswell are some of my most special memories. The veteran coaches did so much to support and shape my head coaching experience, but what is most special is that my family was so involved. My daughter Courtney was a student trainer, and my son Will was our ball boy. The mental pictures of them on the sideline are still vivid, and I’m so thankful that Kay and the kids were so involved.”
2. You’ve coached at a public school in the highest class, a larger private school in the middle classes and now a Class A private school. How is the head coaching job different in those situations? “There’s big differences between large classification public and smaller classification private schools in terms of numbers. In the larger schools, you’re dealing with more players and bigger fan bases. But, there is common ground in both settings, and I believe those are the things that really impact the program. Quality assistants who know how to teach football, a sound feeder system structured for growth, and well-stated expectations for players and parents work well at any level. I’ve been fortunate through the years to work with great men and women who share these ideas, and that has been a blessing.”
3. Many were surprised in the offseason when you decided to leave Blessed Trinity. Can you talk again about what went into that decision and whether you knew you’d still be coaching this fall? “There’s always a combination of things that lead coaches into a change. I’ve always loved coaching, and I am thankful for every day I got to spend at Roswell, BT and now Fellowship. This vocation has been a blessing and I hope to do it as long as God allows.”
4. At Fellowship, you took over a winning program and obviously didn’t need to overhaul it. But what have you brought there that’s a little different? “Fellowship has been a good, well-coached programs for many years. I’m on the field every day with a great staff and wonderful players who are enjoying the process. Our schemes may be a little different, but the goals are still the same. We’re enjoying this season and look forward to what’s ahead.”
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