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Greenville native Berry Bess was recently selected as the new head varsity football coach and P.E. coach for Georgiana school.

Bess, a member of the 2010 graduating class of Greenville High School and a University of Alabama Graduate, will enter his tenth year of coaching this year and add the Georgiana position to his already impressive coaching career.

Bess has acted as varsity and junior high coach for Greenville Middle, Tuscaloosa County High, Foley High & Greenville High School in both track and football.

According to Bess, the community was what initially drew him to apply for the position.

“As soon as the job came open, there were people in the community who were reaching out to me to get an interview set up,” Bess said. “It all happened before they announced that there was a job opening at the school. Knowing the history and lineage of Georgina having so many great athletes, I felt it was a great opportunity for me to get back into coaching varsity and being a part of that same history.”

Besides the technical aspect of the game, Bess said that he has focused on developing his relationship with the players.

“I’m having a lot of conversations with the kids,” Bess said. “I want them to have the opportunity to get to know me. I want them to know that I was where they were once. I played for high school coaches and experienced people coming and going all the time. I think once the players and I develop a good relationship and they get to see that they can put their trust in me, there will be nothing we can’t do.”

Bess also said that he has gotten a lot of support since taking the position.

“My family was excited for me when I got the position,” Bess said. “I spoke with them through the whole process, and the one thing they made sure of was that I was happy and that I was where I wanted to be.”

“ I’ve also gotten a lot of support from the community. They took me in with open arms.  I already feel like family. I feel the same about the school’s faculty. All the people I’ve talked with have been welcoming and have been very helpful whenever I’ve had questions.”

When asked what his favorite part about being a coach is, Bess said that he loves seeing the impact he has had on his kids.

“The most influential people in my life outside of my immediate family have been my coaches,” Bess said. “The best thing to me as a coach is seeing your kids move on in their lives and seeing the impact you made on them years after they have left the program. The first time it happened to me was very emotional. A kid I used to coach sent me a message saying how much I impacted their life. And that really made me realize why I was in this field.”

Congratulations, Coach Bess, on your new position.