9
PISGAH BLACK BEAR
COACH CHAPPELL
Pisgah head football coach Brett Chappell, 43, was a recordsetting
football player at Rosman High School, an All-Southern
Conference first team defensive player at Western Carolina
University and played in several NFL pre-season games for the
San Diego Chargers. He began his coaching career as a graduate
assistant at Western Kentucky University under Jack Harbaugh,
father of current Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Chappell wrapped up his first year coaching on the collegiate level
and moved back to Western North Carolina, where he became a
teacher and assistant football coach under Eddie Reneau at East
Henderson High School. Reneau was a former Pisgah coach. In
2005, Chappell became the Eagles head football coach before
moving to Canton in 2013.
Chappell enters the 2019 campaign with an impressive 123-56
overall head coaching record and six of his teams have won
conference championships.
However, that’s what we all know. But what makes Chappell a
successful high school coach? What makes him tick? Moxxie
magazine sat down with him recently to find out
the secret to his success.
MOXXIE: As a player, did any coach have an
influence on you?
CHAPPELL: Looking back on my football
experience, every coach I played for or coached under had an influence
on me as a person and as a head coach. Most of my experiences were
good, but there were some bad. No matter the experience, I took the
experience, learned from it. There are always lessons learned. I took the
good experience and incorporated into my coaching philosophy, and
the bad experiences I make sure I avoid as a head coach.
photo by Mikell Clark-Webb
MOXXIE: When did you know you wanted to be a coach?
CHAPPELL: I think I knew that in college because I wanted to stay in the game. I realized then I always loved
preparing in the off-season and preparing in-season for the lead up to a game. Coaches always having a reason
to prepare for the intangibles makes it exciting. I’ve always enjoyed the organizational stuff, like how the locker
room and weight room is set up. It just got in my blood when I was playing at Western Carolina.
MOXXIE: What makes you a successful high school football coach?
CHAPPELL: That’s easy. Players. Good players, hard-working players and respecting my players. And I will add
respect I’ve earned from my players. I treat my players like they are my own boys. Around the Chappell household,
my wife Lori, son Bryson and daughter Peyton refer to my players as “Dad’s boys.” I love it when my former
players comeback, whether it be at the school, at practice or even after a game. Another reason for our success
is the moment a new group of boys comes through the locker room doors, we set the expectations and we don’t
back away from those standards. Continued on page 15