Whitehaven football coach Rodney Saulsberry receives AFCA Power of Influence Award

Longtime Whitehaven coach Rodney Saulsberry had no idea he was going to be named the American Football Coaches Association recipient for the AFCA Power of Influence Award.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be recognized for the work that you do,” Saulsberry said of getting the award. “... It’s about impacting lives, impacting young men and just the students in general in a positive way.” 

Saulsberry received the award on Monday in Nashville at the AFCA national conference. He was a finalist for the award last year as well.

The Power of Influence award is given to a coach to recognize the impact on their team and the legacy they leave with the school and surrounding community.  

Outside of the game, Saulsberry has been very involved in high school football in the state. He’s served on the Tennessee Football Coaches Association board and formerly on a TACA football committee that previously existed prior to 2010 for the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association.  

Saulsberry also is the co-founder of the Minority Coaches Association of Tennessee. In 2020, he co-founded the organization to help high school, college and professional coaching in Tennessee get job opportunities and host clinics. He’s also received the Rex Dockery Award from the Memphis chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.  

Throughout his 20 seasons as the head coach at Whitehaven, he’s won two Class 6A titles in 2012 and 2016 and has an overall record of 185-53. 

"It’s a good feeling to get that recognition and to know that your work is not in vain,” Saulsberry said.  

Reach Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @wynstonw__.