GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Chestatee just made a home run hire within its football program.
Bob Christmas, the man who put North Hall football on the map, will return to Northeast Georgia in a part-time role as an offensive analyst and leadership development specialist on Sardis Road.
Stuart Cunningham, in his first season as War Eagle head coach, said Christmas will help in the summer with leadership and coach quarterbacks. Although Christmas will not call Northeast Georgia home anytime soon, he'll be in and out during the summer months to help with the program.
"He's a good friend and a really good coach," Cunningham said. "I'm glad to just have him in some capacity. His area will focus on helping with installing the offense and working with our quarterbacks over the summer."
Christmas's son, Kevin, who will join Cunningham's staff, will eventually take over the quarterback's coaching job.
"I want to give back to help one of my old coaches and my son," Christmas said. "I'm not moving back to town. We love Gainesville and consider it our home, but we will stay in Virginia for now."
The War Eagles will look a bit different in 2023 as they shift to a variation of a wing-T offense, both under center and shotgun.
Christmas led the Trojans to 106 wins and two state semifinal appearances in 13 seasons. Before he arrived at North Hall, the Trojans had won just 124 games in their 40-plus years of playing football.
After spending the last four seasons as head coach at Amherst County High School in Virginia, Christmas officially retired in November of last year. He holds over 300 wins as a head coach and has won two state championships in almost five decades of coaching.
Jeff Hart contributed to this story.
