Impact Christian (FL) Taps Bobby Ramsay to Build Football Program
JACKSONVILLE, FL – Bobby Ramsay, the 2018 Florida Class 8A Coach of the Year, has found a new challenge building the football program at Impact Christian Academy in Jacksonville, FL.
New Impact Christian head football coach Bobby Ramsey, who once coached NFL superstar Derrick Henry, and won a state championship at Mandarin (FL) in 2018, hopes to build the Lions' into state title contenders.
“It was the right opportunity,” Ramsay said. “It's not very often the opportunity to grow a program in the way that you'd like to grow it becomes available. We can make it whatever we want to make it.” He said he was drawn by the administration’s desire to grow and compete for championships.
Ramsay comes to ICA with 14 years of head coaching experience and a state championship under his belt. His career record stands at 91-62 heading into the Lions' first season nestled in one of the state’s most competitive regions.
Ramsay spent nine years as head coach at Yulee (FL) High School north of Jacksonville. While there, he coached Derrick Henry, now with the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. Under Ramsay’s tutelage, Henry would break multiple records, including setting the national mark for most career rushing yards (12,124).
While at Yulee, Ramsay amassed a 64-36 mark, finishing each season with a winning record. He led the Hornets to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 4A state semifinals in 2012.
In 2017, Ramsay took over as head coach at Mandarin (FL) High School in Jacksonville. He guided the Mustangs to the FHSAA Class 8A championship in 2018. That state title made Mandarin just the second Duval County public school program to win an FHSAA championship.
His efforts turning around a team that went 2-8 the year prior helped Ramsay win Coach of the Year honors that season.
During his career, Ramsay coached a pair of players who earned Florida’s Mr. Football award, Henry (2012) and Mandarin quarterback Carson Beck (2018).
Now, Ramsay finds a new challenge, but one he’s familiar with. When he started at Yulee in 2008, the Hornets' program was just in its second year of existence.
“I kind of knew what I was getting into. So, when you hit those speed bumps, it doesn’t frustrate you as much,” he said, acknowledging “it’s a different challenge” but he’s excited about “impacting the school culture.”
Ramsay looks to lead the Lions football program in its leap from 6-man competition to traditional 11-man games this fall. Last season, ICA participated within the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS), finishing with a 5-4 record in 6-man competition.
For 2022, the FHSAA classifies Impact Christian as an independent, one of nine such schools for 2022-23.
Ramsay, who’s coaching career started in 2001 at Lincoln (FL) High School in Tallahassee, expects Impact Christian to be in district competition within three years, but cautioned that the progress might not be linear. He hopes to build out the program’s depth, eventually adding junior varsity and middle school teams to the fold.
Impact Christian hopes the hire of Ramsay for the football team mimics the success of their boys basketball program. The Lions hired Ben Jones to start that program and have since made three state final four appearances and played for two state titles in six seasons.
