Bradenton Christian School football team finally finds its man
BRADENTON − It took a big opportunity to lure Nate Strawderman away from a chance to be a football student assistant at a Division I university.
Bradenton Christian School gave Strawderman that opportunity.
The Panthers named Strawderman as its new football coach, ending a long saga.
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An assistant coach and offensive coordinator the past three seasons, Strawderman accepted the position Wednesday. He was introduced to the team after Thursday’s spring jamboree with Out-of-Door Academy and Oasis High.
“I think the question is why not Nate,” Bradenton Christian director of athletics Cole Hudson after the long ordeal of finding the school’s next football coach.
In searching for a coach to replace Scott Paravicini, who took the head coaching position at his alma mater Lakewood Ranch High, the committee and Hudson appointed John Warren on April 11.
Warren stepped down before ever coaching a spring practice.
Hudson named assistant coach Jonathan Kliewer as the interim coach for the spring with the idea of getting a permanent coach replacement as soon as possible.
“Our group got back together as a committee and he’s the right guy moving forward,” Hudson said of Strawderman. “He’s established himself here. He’s shown us a lot of great things. He’s an internal coach who’s going to be able to put together a great coaching staff. He’s a plug and play guy. He’s ready to go.”
Strawderman, who coached in Thursday’s jamboree, was overcome with emotions upon the appointment.
Following in father's footsteps
His father Elton was Bradenton Christian’s offensive coordinator in 2020 when the Panthers went 6-1 and averaged more than 276 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air while averaging more than 41 points per game.
Elton Strawderman died at the way-too-young age of 49 because of complications due to COVID-19, but he left a lasting impression on his son
“I looked up to my dad,” Nate Strawderman said. “Led the whole county in everything. This was his thing. His thing was to lead the next generation of athletes. It’s emotional because he said this is something I would be doing one day. And to be doing it this soon is emotional and very overwhelming, but exciting.”
The 25-year-old Strawderman is going to use his age to his advantage.
“The importance of coaching, in my opinion, is player to coach relationships,” he said. “When the kids can go to you when they need somebody, just talk to or lean on or look up to, I could relate to these kids. I’m going to be there for them. I’m going to be right by their side all the way through. You can look at it as a negative thing, but it’s the best thing for these kids right now. We already have a relationship.”
Full steam ahead
A former quarterback and outfielder at Out-of-Door Academy, Strawderman does not think he or his program is behind in any way heading into the summer months.
The spring jamboree gave him reason to believe that way. Playing 25 minutes of running clock against Oasis and Out-of-Door, two teams the Panthers played last season, and holding their own Thursday was a springboard into the offseason.
“Day 1 in the spring there was a lot we had to work on,” Strawderman said. “Coming out and playing against two teams we played last season and had tight battles with, to come out here and really compete really gives me something to look forward to in the summer. I’m excited to see what we do this season. Great things are going to come.”
The plan for the summer is work in the weightroom, 7-on-7 passing drills and competition and developing togetherness throughout, even with work in the community.
“We’re going to be really involved this summer. Mandatory lifts, mandatory training, but even more we’re going to get together as a family, doing a lot of 7-on-7 tournaments,” Strawderman said. “We’re going to be working together as a family and in the community as well. We want to do everything we can to build together outside of football as well.”
It is that vision that makes Hudson think he has landed the right man to lead Bradenton Christian School football and pause his quest to coach in college.
“Nate put that on pause for Bradenton Christian football and the school. We’re excited about it,” Hudson said. “We knew he had a big opportunity to be a student assistant up there. For him to put that on pause for us was a big reason why we wanted to go in that direction.”
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bradenton Christian School names new football coach again
