Rockdale County High School football coach passes away
A sign posted at Rockdale County High School remembers coach Jamie Baldwin, who recently passed away (Chad Suddeth / Rockdale County High School)
CONYERS - Rockdale County High School is mourning the loss of their head football coach, Jamie Baldwin. The school announced on Saturday that Baldwin passed away at 45 years old. He was also the school's track and field coach.
"Coach Baldwin was an incredible person and a real positive influence on our school [and] community," said Rockdale County High School athletic director Chad Suddeth in an email to FOX 5. "He was a gentle giant that was full of class. His biggest strengths were his humility and composure - he was always calm [and] in control during the most adverse situations, it was actually very impressive to witness."
The school canceled offseason workouts for student athletes on Monday as staff and players dealt with the loss. Baldwin coached Rockdale County in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Prior to that, he was head coach at Johnson High School in Savannah from 2009 through 2012.
"He was a great role model for our kids," said Suddeth. "He got it - he understood that we had a larger purpose, it was much more than X’s & O’s. He put much greater value on character, work ethic, respect, & teamwork - those things were much more important than wins/losses. A lot of people say it, but he lived it."
Baldwin was an accomplished athlete growing up in Alabama. According to the Savannah Morning News, he went on to serve almost a decade in the Army.
"He was a great leader of men," said Suddeth. "He looked big, strong, & tough (and he was), but he was a very loving soul with a huge heart."
Tributes poured in for Baldwin on social media, many from those in the football community from all across the Southeast.
Baldwin's cause of death has not been publicly released.