goldenlions - St. Pius X Catholic High School

St. Pius X Catholic High School
CHARLES KICKER, RUNNING BACKS
Charles Kicker begins his 35th year of coaching and his 3rd at St. Pius X. A native of Birmingham,
AL, Coach Kicker graduated from West End H.S. (’71). He received his B.S. Ed. (’75) and M.S.
Ed. (’76) from Jacksonville St. University and his Ed. S. (’86) from the University of Southern
Mississippi. He retired from Georgia public schools after serving as a teacher, coach and
administrator at West Laurens H.S., East Laurens H.S., Treutlen H.S. and Forsyth Central H.S. for
32 years. His wife, Nanette, is retired from the Sequoyah Regional Library System. Nanette has
also been named as “Grandmother of the Year” by her two grandsons, Kicker and Thomas
Pedersen. They are proud parents and grandparents. A failure at retirement, Coach Kicker is
happy to be at St. Pius X and back in coaching.
Wendell Early, Secondary
Coach Early begins his 2nd year at St. Pius X. Coach Early is married to Dana and has two
children; Danny (21) and Kelci (18). Dana serves at Pharr Elementary School in Gwinnett County
working with K – 2 autistic children. Coach Early works at Shiloh High School, also in Gwinnett
County, teaching Special Education in the Math Department. Coach Early received his BA
at University of South Florida and holds his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from
Walden University. He has been teaching and coaching for 24 years; the first 16 was spent in
Florida. Coach Early teaches Special Education in Gwinnett County at Shiloh High School.
John Embry, Defensive Line/Video Scouting
Coach Embry begins his 12th year coaching football and his 4th coaching at St. Pius. Before
coaching at St. Pius, Coach Embry was a student assistant for both Auburn University and the
University of Georgia. Coach Embry was the Varsity Linebackers Coach and JV Defensive
Coordinator at Northview High School in 2008. He was also the Defensive Line Coach at
Chamblee High School in 2007, a team that finished the season ranked 3rd in the state and
made a trip to the Georgia Dome. Coach Embry teaches History at St. Pius and is married to
his wife, Libby.
J.T. Gilbert, Head Freshman Coach
Coach Gilbert enters his 12th year at St. Pius X. Coach Gilbert is also the Varsity Baseball Head
Coach. A graduate of Aquinas High School in LaCrosse, Wisconsin where he was a three sport
athlete, Coach Gilbert received a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Minnesota.
He graduated from Viterbo University with a degree in Religious Studies and then coached
baseball at Viterbo University for four years. Coach Gilbert teaches theology at St. Pius X.
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2012 FOOTBALL