ATLANTA — Darren Myles of Carver High School has been named the 2024 Atlanta Falcons Coach of the Year and will serve as the Falcons nominee for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award. The award is given to the high school head coach that represents integrity, leadership, perseverance, dedication to the community, commitment to player protection and on-field success.
As the Falcons nominee, Myles could become the third high school coach from Georgia to win the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award over the past six seasons, joining Dalton High School's Matt Land (2019) and Booker T. Washington's Derrick Avery (2020).
Myles became the head coach at Carver in 2005, where he took over a program that started with just three players. Throughout his 20-year tenure, he has succeeded both as a coach and an educator, leading the team to two regional championships and 138 wins. This year's team finished 8-4 and reached the playoffs for the 13th straight season. Myles' 34 years of coaching experience in college and high school has transformed the culture of the Carver program and created consistency for his student-athletes and the community.
Myles prioritizes not just performance on the field, but also the character and academic success of his team. Each of his athletes and their parents sign a contract at the beginning of each season to ensure they are developing on and off the field. Whether that be eating breakfast with the team in the locker room each morning, mandatory study hall, yoga or CPR training, Myles has taken a holistic approach to ensure the wellbeing of each of his players.
"The personal gratification for me has been seeing the development of the players from when they come in as a ninth grader and leave as a senior," said Myles. "The personal gratification is seeing those hours come to fruition, with the way they interact with their peers or a guest. It makes it worthwhile, and it is just part of our daily routine."
Myles was surprised with the news that he had been named the 2024 Atlanta Falcons Coach of the Year at the Falcons game against the Carolina Panthers and received two tickets to Super Bowl LVIII.
