CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – For the 20th consecutive year, the A.F. Bridges Awards program gave out recognitions for School System Administrator of the Year, Principal of the Year, Athletic Director of the Year, Female Coach of the Year, Male Coach of the Year, Official of the Year and Contributor of the Year in each of the nine athletic districts of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. The awards recognize 63 individuals from across the state that represent what’s best in high school athletics.
Two members of CMCSS were honored by the TSSAA, as Clarksville High principal Bryan Feldman received Principal of the Year and Rossview wrestling coach Jeff Price was named Male Coach of the Year.
“I am very surprised by this,” Feldman said. “It is a great honor to be recognized, but an even bigger honor to serve Clarksville High School. It is a great school and the students, faculty, staff and parents are the ones who deserve recognition.”
Feldman, in his third year at Clarksville High, has taught education for 21 years. He earned his undergraduate degree in social studies and education from Purdue University and his master’s in school administration from Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
“Our student athletes compete at the highest levels both on the field of play and in the classroom,” Feldman said. “I am very proud of them and love working for them.”
Nominations were made by a Citizenship/Sportsmanship Committee and member schools in each athletic district and the final selection was made by a State Selection Committee.
For Price, it’s what the award’s selection criteria is comprised of that makes earning it so pleasant.
“The thing that makes this award meaningful is it’s not just for the sport of wrestling, but includes all of the other sports in the district,” Price said. “To get recognized on that stage is good for our sport and good for our program. A.F. Bridges himself taught and demanded positivity and created a learning atmosphere for all of those around him. That’s what we’re trying to create with our program and our culture. Just have a place where anyone is accepted, but you have to put in the work.”
Price discussed what was particularly special about the 2018-19 Hawks season that allowed him to be up for this individual award.
“Just the guys and the girls,” Price said. “We run our program as one. The girls won state and the guys went 32-4 and finished in the Top 10 in the state. Progressively, we’re just hoping to get our guys and girls at the top of the podium. The girls broke their own record from the year before and they all came together as one and wrestled for each other. Now that they got rings, they’re just as hungry for another one and we expect much of the same this year.”
Price was an assistant coach for four years before inheriting the Rossview wrestling coaching job in 2017.
“I attribute a lot to Coach Cozine (Dan),” Price said. “The program was already up and coming. We were right there to win a district title. For him to step down and hand that over to me at that point whenever we kind of already expected a great season, was big for me. I appreciate that from him. Every wrestler matters is what we kind of looked at. Make sure that we had a team-first attitude despite being an individual sport. I think that made a big difference.”
Feldman and Price will each be presented with their awards at one of three Regional Meetings at 10 a.m. Thursday Nov. 7 at Hillwood High School.