New Piedmont Football Coach Preps for Season

New Piedmont Academy football coach Mike Parris is in full preparation mode for the upcoming season.

Parris, who has 168 career wins on his resume, was officially introduced as the new Cougar head coach in February. He was head football coach at Jackson High School from 1996-2012 compiling two undefeated regular seasons. Parris also has been head coach at Forest Park High School, Heritage High School (Conyers) and Loganville High School.

“We are excited about the upcoming season and have started our summer workouts,” Parris said.

Players are currently taking part in summer conditioning on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Piedmont was unable to take part in spring practice this year as the GISA had previously ended that part of the offseason. GISA football programs will be able to practice during the spring in 2019 once again, however.

“We really wanted to use spring practice this year to get to know the team and to let them get to know the coaches,” Parris said. “Not having it really hurt us.”

Like most football coaches, Parris is having to work around summer vacations for players as well as many athletes taking part in summer baseball.

“We are having good numbers though,” the long-time coach said. “Our middle school and varsity players are working in the weight room. It has been exciting so far to see how hard they are working.”

Workouts will continue throughout June. The players will be off the week of July 4 before going back to work.

“We are just trying to get stronger and to allow everyone to get familiar with each other,” Parris said.

The 2018-2019 school year for Piedmont Academy begins in early August meaning the team will have a scrimmage and two regular season games before classes start.

Parris said there are also various football-related projects going on including working on the field house.

Clint Ashmore, who has coached with Parris for years, will be the new offensive coordinator for Piedmont. Will Johnson, who was part of the coaching staff last season, will work with the offensive and defensive lines. Parris will be the defensive coordinator and he is in the process of adding some additional assistant coaches.

“Clint and I have been together so long we know exactly what the other one will do,” Parris said.

Piedmont will scrimmage against Pinecrest Academy on Aug. 17 at home. Pinecrest is coached by former Atlanta Falcon player Terence Mathis, one of the NFL’s top receivers in the 1990s.

The regular season opener will be Aug. 24 against Monsignor Donovan.

Parris said the Cougars will be playing more teams this season in their classification. In recent years several of the non-region games were against larger opponents in Class AAA.

“We need to be competitive at our own level and build things up,” the coach said.

Parris replaces Wes Tanner as head football coach. Tanner accepted a position as full-time student minister at Monticello Baptist Church.