Frank Barden, St. Francis head coach

Today’s interviewee is St. Francis coach Frank Barden, whose Class A Division I team won its first region title in program history last week with a 35-18 victory over Mount Pisgah Christian. St. Francis, a private school in Alpharetta, started varsity football in 2010, and Barden became its coach in 2018 before it had won a playoff game. Barden is a 29-year Georgia head coach with 213 career victories and a 1999 state title at Cartersville.

1. What gave your team the advantage in Friday’s game? “It has been a fun journey watching this team grow and learn each week. The schedule this year has been one of our toughest but has helped prepare us for our region games. I think that has forced us to keep working to put a good product on the field.”

2. What does the win and the region title mean to your team/program? “It was a great win for our program and school. Being the first region title for football means a great deal to our players but also for our overall athletic program. We have a great commitment from top down, and it is fun to be a part of what is being built.”

3. What are some things that people might want to know about your team if they haven’t seen you play? “We are a young team with six seniors that provide great leadership, and the Knight football players that played before them who laid a foundation of hard work and vision to be successful. The improvement by the players each week has really been key to where we are at this point.”

4. What do you feel that you and your staff have done that’s made the biggest difference in getting the team here? “This has been and is continuing to be a really fun thing to be a part of building from the ground up. It has taken many people committed to a common vision. Our challenge is to make the program better each day by having quality coaches and players fill a specific role of providing a four-year process to help these players prepare for their future both on and off the field.”