Pisgah's Forester Named Atlanta Falcons Coach of the Year

Mount Pisgah Head Football Coach Mike Forester was recently named the Atlanta Falcons Class A Coach of the Year. Forester led the Patriots to the best season in school history as Pisgah finished 12-1 and won their first ever Region title on the way to the GHSA semifinals.

Among other firsts this season the Patriots completed their first undefeated regular season, as well as hosted, and then won, their first GHSA playoff game.

“It is quite an honor to receive this award. I am thankful for what this reward means. Anytime you receive an award like this it is symbolic. It really reflects the great coaching staff, administration, players and parents that we have at Mount Pisgah. I know that this is not my award but OUR award. I am grateful to God for honoring our school in this way,” said Forester.

This is Forester’s first season as the head coach at Pisgah after serving as the Defensive Coordinator in 2012. He teaches Bible classes in the Upper School.

“Coach Forester has come in this year and totally changed the dynamics of our program. He has been a positive influence on me on and off the field. He is a man of great faith, and a tremendous mentor to our team and the Pisgah community. I could not have asked for a better senior year. We are all blessed to have Coach Forester in our lives,” said Pisgah senior Patrick Messinger.

Prior to coming to Pisgah Forester coached for 19 years at Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham, Alabama. A 5A school in the Alabama High School Athletic Association, Forester helped lead Briarwood to three state championships (1998, 1999 and 2003), as well as two state runners-up finishes (2007 and 2010). Forester taught Bible, philosophy, psychology and geography at Briarwood.

A Dallas, Texas native, Forester played football at the University of Mississippi, where he was a three-year letter winner.

Forester comes from quite a football family. Mike’s Grandfather Herschel Forester, Sr. captained the 1914 Mercer University Football Team and was inducted into the Mercer Hall of Fame in 1973.  He had a highly successful career as a coach and teacher in the Dallas Independent School District. The DISD named one of their athletic complexes after him and High School teams still play at Forester Field.

Mike’s uncle, Herschel Forester Jr., played at SMU and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. He was one of Paul Brown’s first “messenger” guards and a member of the Browns 1954 championship team.

His father Bill was a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers from 1953-1963 and played on the 1961 and 1962 Championship teams. A captain of Vince Lombardi’s defense, Bill is a member of the Packers Hall of Fame. He also held the Packer’s consecutive games played record until it was broken by Brett Farve.

“Coach Forester has done a phenomenal job especially in his first year as head coach. What he has meant to these players, their families, the coaches and this school can't be measured in wins and losses. I look forward to seeing him guide this program to new heights on and off the field in the years to come," said Blake Davenport, Pisgah Director of Athletics.