When Tiger fans look across at the Prince Avenue Christian sidelines at the State Championship game, they will see a familiar face. Kade Youmans, former Swainsboro quarterback, is an intern coach for Prince Avenue.
Youmans was a 2020 graduate of Swainsboro high school, lettering in football and baseball for all four years. He had an 18-7 record as a starter at Swainsboro. He led the Tigers to a Region 2-AA title and two playoff wins. He totaled 4,654 yards and 67 touchdowns in his career enroute to back-to-back Offensive Player of the Year awards in Region 2-AA in the 2018 and 2019 season.
After his playing days were over, he went to East Georgia State College and earned an associate degree in December of 2022. He is currently a student at the University of Georgia pursuing his bachelor’s degree in special education. He plans to graduate from the University in the Spring of 2025.
His official job title is an offensive intern coach. His job duties include film breakdown, helping set up practice, and being a play signaler on game days. He also takes turns with laundry and painting the field. Coaching in a state championship is nothing to take lightly, as many never get the opportunity.
I asked what this opportunity means to him, and he responded, “It’s surreal honestly. It’s always been a dream to compete for a state championship, so it’s taken a little time to set in that it’s actually going to happen. If you would have told me that I would be coaching against Swainsboro in a state championship game for the first time I would’ve looked at you kind of crazy. It will be a little different to be on the opposing sideline, but I am excited to compete against Swainsboro. I know that they are going very well prepared and ready to go.”
We then talked about what Swainsboro meant to him and the foundation they built for him, and he said, “Coach Roberts and his whole staff did a ton for me as a player and is a huge reason I chose to get into the coaching profession. They are all great men on and off the field. It is awesome to see all the success they are having and knowing that they have built young men who will succeed in life after football. I look forward to seeing all those guys and being able to compete against them.”
Youmans is just one of many testaments to the program Head Coach Scott Roberts has built and how he has built not just football players, but men. He prepares his players not only for games, but for life. It will be weird to look across and see Youmans on the other sidelines, but no matter what logo he has on, he is always loved and welcomed in the Swainsboro community.
