South Georgia Tech names Sports and Fitness Instructor/Jets assistant men’s basketball coach

AMERICUS, Ga. – South Georgia Technical College (SRTC) President Dr. John Watford announced Stephen Birchfield has been named as Sports & Fitness Instructor/Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach for the SGTC Jets intercollegiate basketball team for the 2025-2026 season.

    “We are very fortunate to have Stephen Birchfield associated with our college basketball program and teaching in the Sports and Fitness Management program,” said SGTC President Watford.  “He has a variety of teaching and coaching experience that will be a definite asset for the college and athletic program.”

   He has a Bachelor of Arts in general studies from Brewton Parker College in Mt. Vernon and a Master of Leadership and Coaching from Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA.

    Birchfield brings over 15 years of coaching experience as a head, associate, and assistant coach at the collegiate, high school, and club team levels.  He served as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Brewton-Parker in Mt. Vernon, GA for three years before moving to Marietta, Georgia to be the Head of Player Development at Marietta High School and teach world history.  He also served as the Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach/Head JV Team Coach at Brewton Parker College for three years.  He served as the head fishing coach at Brewton-Parker as well.

   In his first season, as the Head Basketball Coach at Brewton Parker, the program earned its first post season victory in over a decade to advance to the regional championship game for the NCCAA.

   In addition to coaching at Brewton Parker, Birchfield served as the Head of Basketball at Camp Cobbossee in Monmouth, ME, which is the oldest boy’s camp in the United States.  He was in charge of hiring and training staff as well as day to day execution of lesson plans.

   Birchfield was the founder and head coach of Albany State University’s Men’s Basketball Club Team for one season as well as the Head JV Coach/Assistant Varsity Coach of Men’s Basketball at South Paulding High School in Dallas, GA, and New Manchester High School in Douglasville.  He also was an assistant men’s basketball coach at Central Carroll High School in Carrollton, GA.

    As a Sports and Fitness Instructor/Assistant Intercollegiate Men’s Basketball Coach, Birchfield’s duties will include providing instruction to students at SGTC in Sports and Fitness/recreation courses as well as assistant coaching duties to include coaching, recruiting, scheduling, and training.  He is required to adhere to national, state, and local sports guidelines including the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association.

   He will report to SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Julie Partain, Athletic Director Jason Carpenter, and Jets Head Basketball coach Chris Ballauer.

     The Jets were 9 – 7 in the GCAA and 12 – 19 overall in 2024 – 2025.  They were ranked fourth in the GCAA and hosted a quarter-final game in the NJCAA Region XVII end of the season tournament.  The Jets are 60 – 65 for four years with Chris Ballauer as head coach.  The Jets captured the GCAA conference title in 2021 – 2022 and earned a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, KS that year for the third time in the history of the Jets program. Former Athletic Director and Jets head basketball coach Steven Wright took the Jets to the national tournament the other two times.

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