You may think that coaching is only required during the school week, but there is a large amount of time involved behind the scenes that only few really experience. Coach Jeremy Gainer, a social studies teacher and head coach of the varsity and junior varsity football teams, puts in an immense amount of hours to run the program and lead the warriors.

The workload is abundantly heavy but Gainer works together with the ten other coaches to make sure the program runs smoothly. Gainer’s typical week possibly earns him the “busiest in the building” award. Team practices are held Monday to Wednesday until 7 p.m., on Thursday until 5:30 p.m., followed by JV games at 6 p.m. Fridays are varsity game nights, and then Saturdays are devoted to independent film review. Finally, Sundays are coaching and position meetings for film review and preparation for the coming week’s game. It’s all a lot but, in the words of Gainer, “Work is continuous, but embraced.”

“As I leave school each night, my work is my constant travel partner.” said Gainer, perfectly describing the wild schedule of a head coach, “Late nights, early mornings, weekday marathons, and weekend sessions are all a part of our professional and personal work time demands.”

With arriving home into the late hours of the night and sometimes even early hours of the morning, “It is safe to say, I manage an 80 hour plus work week.” Gainer said.

But how can anyone reasonably manage such a regimen along with the constant rigors of carrying a full teaching load? “While coaching is my passion, teaching is my foundation,” he said. “I must continuously keep my foundation strong and my passion focused in order to succeed in this profession.”

Gainer fits all the characteristics of a fully committed and willing coach, ready to pour his personal time and effort into the players’ physical and emotional activities. “The maturation and growth of our young men is the ultimate payout,” he said.

Very few have the character and stamina to handle the all-involving, time- consuming, and influence-giving task of being a high school head football coach. Jeremy Gainer fulfills this vital role for North Atlanta. His commitment, dedication, and ultimate strong leadership skills are easily conveyed both on and off the gridiron field.