Wayne Gilliam takes over as head football coach at Camden Catholic
Wayne Gilliam, a 2010 graduate of Camden Catholic, is looking to bring some stability to his alma mater’s program as their new head football coach.
He is the third Camden Catholic football coach in three years.
Last year the Irish were 1-8 under former Camden coach Dwayne Savage and before that they were 6-4 under Gary Onuekwusi.
“The juniors and seniors on this team are going through their third head coach… so now our staff has to regain the trust of the players,” Gilliam said after coaching his team in the Lenape summer league earlier this year. “I have to let them know that I am going to be here, and I am not going anywhere.”
Of course, Gilliam understands why some may feel skeptical when he says he isn’t going anywhere.
“They have heard ‘I am not going anywhere’ the last three summers, but I’m not going anywhere,” he said.
After an outstanding career at Camden Catholic, Gilliam continued his education and football career at Widener University before a “a devastating knee injury,” led Gilliam into coaching.
“I was approached with the chance to be a student coach and I said ‘why not,’” he said. “I knew I loved the game and wanted to be around football.”
He got his start there, took some time off from coaching, then returned as an assistant at Camden Catholic. He would again leave coaching after a stint at Camden Catholic, but returned two years ago as an assistant at Paul VI, the Irish’s chief rival.
Paul VI was a good experience for Gilliam, who was coaching wide receivers and defensive backs, and calling the defense.
He coached at Paul VI under veteran head coach Dennis Scuderi and said he was grateful for all he learned.
Now he is running his own program and Gilliam said the key is to be positive and look ahead.
“I can’t rewrite the past and can only look to the future,” he said.
Gilliam added that it takes more than x’s and o’s to develop a winning program.
“It’s through friendships and hard work. It is through bonding,” he said.
Gilliam’s passion only for the football program, but the school in general will also help the program thrive.
“I am a graduate here and when you are an alum, you already have a love for the school,” he said. “I am going to handle this program with care. That’s my main responsibility.”
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Author: Marc Narducci
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