Bradenton Christian names former Southeast High coach as its new football coach

BRADENTON - Since looking to get back in the area football coaching scene, John Warren has been searching for the right fit.

He applied for the openings at Sarasota High and Parrish Community High to no avail.

But when the Bradenton Christian School job became open, Warren did his research and thought it was a good fit.

Panthers director of athletics Cole Hudson felt the same way.

Tuesday afternoon Hudson announced Warren as Bradenton Christian’s new football coach. Warren replaces Scott Paravicini, who was named head coach at Lakewood Ranch High.

“I never imagined this would have come open,” Warren said. “So when a door opens like this you kick the tires and see if it brings any kind of fruit to you. And this one did.”

Warren has had a relationship with Hudson and others who are at Bradenton Christian. “To me, it’s all about timing and this worked out absolutely perfect for me,” Warren said.

Warren met with about 35 Panthers’ football players and prospective prospects during lunch period Tuesday afternoon in the school gymnasium.

The 16-year teacher emphasized “Christian education, mission and being elite” during his 15-minute session when he handed out questionnaires.

“It takes buying-in to turn a program around,” Warren told the students. “We want to make this the best program for you.”

Warren was “kinda retired” the past four seasons, but was not entirely away from the game. He broke down film with and for Dominick Tassone, the football coach at Kennedy Catholic in Somers, New York, a team that came down to Florida to play Out-of-Door Academy.

“I was able to step back, reenergize, learn, continue to grow as a coach and as a teach and be a little more selective with my next position,” Warren said. “This was something I couldn’t say no to.”

The 45-year-old Warren is a flex teacher for Florida Virtual School. His previous coaching position was the head coach of Central High School in Brooksville. He also coached at Massac County in Metropolis, Illinois, after a two-year stint at Southeast High School, where he replaced the legendary Paul Maechtle.

After a 1-9 season with the Seminoles in 2014, Southeast went 5-6 in Warren’s second season and made the postseason for the first time in three seasons.

He departed Southeast because of a family matter.

“I’m always about that family environment,” Warren said.

This time it will be about family, as his youngest son Nix will be a freshman at Bradenton Christian in the fall. Warren’s oldest son Alix is a junior who plays lacrosse at Sarasota High.

Bradenton Christian went 2-7 this past season.

There are two weeks until spring football begins.

“Football is about excitement, the energy, the shine,” Warren said. “And we have a lot of that. Some of the pieces are already here for me to polish up and see what we can do.”

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: John Warren new Bradenton Christian School football coach