Mario Mincey, Bryan County Head Coach (Football/Girls Basketball)

Patience is a virtue. Being in the right place at the right time. In the new world of high school athletics, coaches will come and go. Many coaches will remain at a program for a few seasons and move on to the next destination. That has not been the case of Mario Mincey of Bryan County.

Mincey is a native at Claxton High School where he played football. He attended Georgia Southern University.

Mario has been around coaching all of his life. His dad, uncle, and brother are all coaches. He coached football, basketball, and baseball at the rec department. He continued to coach travel ball until 2002, while also coaching in middle school.

From 2003-2005, he was the varsity assistant in track, football, and baseball. Mincey became the head girls basketball coach in 2006, while also serving as the boys assistant basketball coach. He has been the middle school athletic director along with coaching middle school track and boys basketball. If there has been a coaching job in Bryan County, Mario has done it.

Currently, Mincey is the head girls basketball coach, head football coach, and assistant boys basketball coach. This is Mincey's first season as head football coach.

Girls Basketball Three region titles, six state playoff appearances, one Elite Eight finish

Track Three region titles

Football Three region titles

RC: What led you into the coaching profession?

MM: My dad, uncle and brother coach so I guess it's almost a family business. But working at an after school program in college made me want to work with the youth.

RC: What does it take to be successful coach?

MM: You must have work ethic. You must be willing to put in the time. You have to give your players clear expectations. Without clear expectations, there is no mission. You must know your players. Working at the middle school has given me the advantage of knowing these kids for at least six years.

A successful coach must be able to adjust their system to the type of players they have. Too many coaches want to use their system without keeping the players in mind.

You must realize that you are more than a coach. You are a teacher, a father, a minister, a mentor..you are standing in the gap of their parents when they are not at home.

A successful coach must be willing to train their players in the off-season. I hold off-season workouts throughout the summer for football and basketball.

A successful coach is always trying to improve through going to clinics, camps, talking to other coaches, reading books, or the Internet.

RC: Bryan County has not had a winning season since 2013. What is your plan to for success?

MM: Our region is one of the toughest regions in the state with all 8 teams being solid. It's a unique situation with all the recent coaching changes. This is my 11th year and I know most of the kids very well. Our motto is "Win the Day". Meaning each day we want to win in the class room first, practice and leave it all on the field on Friday nights. Along with getting everybody to understand their role all the way down to the ball boy!

RC: Who are the college prospects on the Bryan County roster?

MM: 2018 Traviuan Sanders (DE/TE), Yadervn Eason (RB/DB), Charlie Flint (OL), Willie Miller (DB/RB), 2019 Terron Dixon (DB/RB)

RC: What advice would you give someone entering the coaching profession?

MM: Understand the time and commitment. Realize that people always think they can do your job better than you. Make time for your family. Show your players that you care and set goals for you and your coaches.