COACH PROFILE: Wade Brings Talent to Develop to Wildcats Wide Outs

5/13/2020 3:19:00 PM

By: Chris Myers

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – With a stable of talent catching the ball a year ago, the Wildcats pass catchers will look a little different as far as lineup for this fall. Fort Valley State, though, now has Kendrick Wade and his talent to develop wide receivers to lead the effort and continue the top-notch Wildcats passing game.

The new Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach came on board first-year head coach Maurice Flowers coaching staff this spring. Wade will help keep the ball moving in an offense, which averaged 298.7 yards through the air in the fall of 2019.

Wade will have All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Second Team honoree, Shemar Bridges and upcoming senior Griffin Watley to lead the wide out corps this fall. The new Wildcats coach will also see six incoming freshmen added to the returning talent. The 6-5 Bridges hauled in 51 passes for 765 yards and four touchdowns with seven catches for 122 yards against Shorter and seven grabs for 129 yards at Savannah State. Watley pulled in six passes for 74 yards, including a 9-yard score against Morehouse College.

Wade comes to The Valley from Sioux Falls, Iowa, where he was part of the Briar Cliff University staff. Under his direction there, Wade greatly improved Briar Cliff's receivers where Rashad Brown had a breakout year and named to the All-Great Plains Athletic Conference Team.

For his full coaching accolades, Coach Wade's bio can be found at: https://fvsusports.com/staff-directory/kendrick-wade/170

Now let's get to know Coach Wade a bit better with some inside Coach Profile questions:

What did you want to be growing up?
Like most kids growing up playing sports, I had dreams/aspirations of being a professional athlete. I wanted to play football in the National Football League!

Where are you originally from and what makes that area unique/something interesting about it?
I was born in Cleveland, Miss. It is a true blue-collar town, which taught me the importance of hard work. In Cleveland, we definitely had the "Roll your sleeves up and go to work" mentality! I moved to Memphis (Tenn.) at the age of 15, and Memphis instilled that "Grit & Grind" in me. You had to be both mentally and physically tough to survive where I grew up at in South Memphis.

Where did you graduate from and what was your major?
I have 3 degrees. My first came from Coahoma Community College (Associate of Art in Athletic Administration & Coaching). I'm a two-time graduate of Mississippi Valley State University (Bachelor of Science in Health, Physical Education, & Recreation and a Master of Science in Sports Administration).

How long have you been at The Valley?
I started at FVSU in January of 2020.

What drew you to FVSU?
I didn't know much about FVSU prior to my arrival. Coach Maurice Flowers is what drew me here. I worked with Coach Flowers in 2017, and during that year, I learned and grew so much under his leadership when he served as the Mississippi Valley State offensive coordinator. After the 2017 season, I told him as soon as he landed a head coaching job, I'm coming to work with him! So as soon as he was named the head coach at FVSU, I knew it would be my next destination!
,
Where did you start coaching and how long have you been coaching?
I started my coaching career as the head coach at Fairview Middle School in Memphis, Tenn. for 4 years. Then, I moved on to the high school level and took a head coaching job at Middle College High School in Memphis for 3 years. After that, I moved on to the collegiate level and accepted an assistant job to coach the wide receivers at Mississippi Valley State University, which last for 2 years. I followed it with a one-year stint (2019) at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa. Now, I'm going into my 1st year as FVSU, and my 11th overall as a football coach -- 7 years as a head coach & 4 years as an assistant coach.

How would you like your student-athletes to see you as what type of a coach?
As a coach/leader/mentor/man, who is "Fair, Firm, & Consistent!" And also see me as someone, who cares for them as a whole person, not just as a student-athlete.

What brought you into this coaching profession?
The coaches/men who coached me are the reason why I became a coach. Many of them had such a great influence on my life as they were the ones who helped me become the man who I am today. The morals and values, which they instilled in me as a youth, is what's allowing me to do what I'm doing today. So in essence, I became a coach so I can help others in the same way my coaches helped me. My former coaches from Little League to the college ranks are my heroes, and I want to be the same type of hero to the players who I get the opportunity to coach.

What would you be doing if you weren't coaching?
I don't understand that question...I was born to be a COACH!

Biggest athletic accomplishment as an athlete and as a coach?
As an athlete, I was blessed to be able to accomplish a few accolades, but one of the biggest for me was being named to the Mississippi Valley State All-Decade Team (2000-2009). And as a coach, I would have to say when my team (Middle College High School) was recognized and named Fox 13 (Memphis) Team of the Week. It was the greatest feeling in the world because it was the first time in the history of the school to receive that honor.

A proud coaching moment to share?
I've had the opportunity to coach so many wonderful student-athletes, I can't pinpoint just one particular moment to share. So I would say, what I remember most is the joy I feel when I reflect back on all of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices we all made as a "TEAM" and as a "Family." Memories of wins and losses eventually fade away, but the feeling of being apart team/family last FOREVER!

What is a funny story from a trip you were on with a team?
When I was coaching high school, we had a player who forgot to bring his helmet to a game. We traveled from Memphis to Dexter, Missouri to play the game, and he didn't realize he had left it until we made it to the locker room. He was our starting running back so I sent him on the field to play without his helmet, but the referees sent him back to the sidelines.

Favorite team restaurant stop?
I don't have a favorite place to dine when we're on the road. I just want the place to be clean, and have good fresh food.

A unique fact about you?
I start off every morning of my day by reading a scripture from the Bible, followed by a few moments of meditation.

Favorite place you have seen or experience you have had due to coaching?
In 2016, while coaching at Mississippi Valley State, we opened the season up at North Dakota State in The Fargo Dome. I've never experienced a more hostile environment. The game was sold out and there wasn't an empty seat in the stadium. You literally had to scream at the the person, who was standing next to you so they could hear what you were saying. It was by far the loudest stadium I have ever played or coached in front of!

-Wildcats-

Print Friendly Version

FVSU Athletics

Scoreboard

COACH PROFILE: Wade Brings Talent to Develop to Wildcats Wide Outs