WHITEHAVEN HIGH SCHOOL’S RODNEY SAULSBERRY RECEIVES 2023 AFCA®/AFCF® POWER OF INFLUENCE AWARD
January 8, 2024
Whitehaven (Tenn.) High School Head Coach Rodney Saulsberry Sr. has been named the recipient of the 2023 AFCA®/AFCF® Power of Influence Award. Saulsberry was nominated by the Tennessee Football Coaches Association. He was honored today during the 2024 AFCA Convention.
The Power of Influence award was created as a way for the AFCA® and AFCF® to honor a deserving high school football coach. Coaches who receive this award are recognized for their impact on their team, as well as the legacy they leave with the school and surrounding community. This award is not based on wins and losses; however, it should be noted that coaches of powerful influence have longevity and success. This is the first AFCA award specifically designed to honor a high school coach.
“It is my mission to use the game of football as a microcosm of the game of life knowing that the tools and skills needed to be a successful player and teammate correlate directly to being a productive citizen and team player in the world of work,” Saulsberry said.
Saulsberry completed his 26th season at Whitehaven High School and 20th as a head coach. He has an overall record of 185-53 with two Tennessee 6A state titles in 2012 and 2016, the first championships in program history. Over 200 of Saulsberry’s former players have gone on to play college football, and 15 of them have become coaches.
Saulsberry has served on the board of the Tennessee Football Coaches Association and served on the Rules Committee for the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. He has been a speaker at various football clinics around the country, including the 2013 AFCA Convention.
In 2020, Saulsberry co-founded the Minority Coaches Association of Tennessee, which helps high school, college and professional coaches in Tennessee foster job opportunities and hosts clinics for continuing education. He has earned many awards over his time as head coach, such as a two-time Tennessee Titans Coach of the Week, a Tennessee Titans/Shelby Metro Coach of the Year award winner in 2012 and 2016, three-time Regional Coach of the Year and winner of the Rex Dockery Award from the Memphis Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
Past Power of Influence Award winners include: Larry Dippel, Amarillo (Texas) H.S. (2002); John McKissick, Summerville (S.C.) H.S. (2003); Marcus Borden, East Brunswick (N.J.) H.S. (2004); Ron Stolski, Brainerd (Minn.) H.S. (2005); Sid Otton, Tumwater (Wash.) H.S. (2006); Rob Younger, Sweet Home (Ore.) H.S. (2007); George Smith, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) H.S. (2008); Jim Drewry, Booneville (Miss.) H.S. (2009); Brent Steuerwald, Shenendehowa (N.Y.) H.S. (2010); Noel Dean, Lowell (Mich.) H.S. (2011); Andy Lowry, Columbine (Colo.) H.S. (2012); Bob Burt, Cypress (Calif.) H.S. (2013); Ott Hurrle, Scecina Memorial (Ind.) H.S. (2014); Sam Harrell, Fort Worth Christian (Texas) H.S. (2015); Tony DeMatteo, Somers (N.Y.) H.S. (2016); Allan Trimble, Jenks (Okla.) H.S. (2017); Rick Jones, Greenwood (Ark.) H.S. (2018); Dave Nelson, Minnetonka (Minn.) HS (2019); Don Smolyn, Lenape Valley Regional High School (2020); Bill Blankenship, Owasso (Okla.) High School (2021) and Dwight Lundeen, Becker (Minn.) High School (2022).
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Whitehaven (Tenn.) High School Head Coach Rodney Saulsberry Sr. has been named the recipient of the 2023 AFCA®/AFCF® Power of Influence Award. Saulsberry was nominated by the Tennessee Football Coaches Association. He was honored today during the 2024 AFCA Convention.
The Power of Influence award was created as a way for the AFCA® and AFCF® to honor a deserving high school football coach. Coaches who receive this award are recognized for their impact on their team, as well as the legacy they leave with the school and surrounding community. This award is not based on wins and losses; however, it should be noted that coaches of powerful influence have longevity and success. This is the first AFCA award specifically designed to honor a high school coach.
“It is my mission to use the game of football as a microcosm of the game of life knowing that the tools and skills needed to be a successful player and teammate correlate directly to being a productive citizen and team player in the world of work,” Saulsberry said.
Saulsberry completed his 26th season at Whitehaven High School and 20th as a head coach. He has an overall record of 185-53 with two Tennessee 6A state titles in 2012 and 2016, the first championships in program history. Over 200 of Saulsberry’s former players have gone on to play college football, and 15 of them have become coaches.
Saulsberry has served on the board of the Tennessee Football Coaches Association and served on the Rules Committee for the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. He has been a speaker at various football clinics around the country, including the 2013 AFCA Convention.
In 2020, Saulsberry co-founded the Minority Coaches Association of Tennessee, which helps high school, college and professional coaches in Tennessee foster job opportunities and hosts clinics for continuing education. He has earned many awards over his time as head coach, such as a two-time Tennessee Titans Coach of the Week, a Tennessee Titans/Shelby Metro Coach of the Year award winner in 2012 and 2016, three-time Regional Coach of the Year and winner of the Rex Dockery Award from the Memphis Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
Past Power of Influence Award winners include: Larry Dippel, Amarillo (Texas) H.S. (2002); John McKissick, Summerville (S.C.) H.S. (2003); Marcus Borden, East Brunswick (N.J.) H.S. (2004); Ron Stolski, Brainerd (Minn.) H.S. (2005); Sid Otton, Tumwater (Wash.) H.S. (2006); Rob Younger, Sweet Home (Ore.) H.S. (2007); George Smith, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) H.S. (2008); Jim Drewry, Booneville (Miss.) H.S. (2009); Brent Steuerwald, Shenendehowa (N.Y.) H.S. (2010); Noel Dean, Lowell (Mich.) H.S. (2011); Andy Lowry, Columbine (Colo.) H.S. (2012); Bob Burt, Cypress (Calif.) H.S. (2013); Ott Hurrle, Scecina Memorial (Ind.) H.S. (2014); Sam Harrell, Fort Worth Christian (Texas) H.S. (2015); Tony DeMatteo, Somers (N.Y.) H.S. (2016); Allan Trimble, Jenks (Okla.) H.S. (2017); Rick Jones, Greenwood (Ark.) H.S. (2018); Dave Nelson, Minnetonka (Minn.) HS (2019); Don Smolyn, Lenape Valley Regional High School (2020); Bill Blankenship, Owasso (Okla.) High School (2021) and Dwight Lundeen, Becker (Minn.) High School (2022).
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
