Imagine peering across the field before a middle school football game in Charlotte, NC, and seeing former NFL All-Pro tight end Greg Olsen in full coaching gear. Then spotting his former teammate Luke Kuechly, Olsen’s former teammate and a star linebacker with the Charlotte Panthers. Then you see former Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart, former Penn State quarterback and current NBC analyst Todd Blackledge and Olsen’s father, Chris, a Hall of Fame high school coach who won nine state title at Wayne Hills High in New Jersey.
Charlotte Christian doesn’t just have the best middle school football staff in the country, it may boast the greatest youth sports staff ever.
Olsen’s two sons Tate and TJ play on the team. Greg and Chris Olsen and Kuechly have been coaching youth football since Pop Warner.
“It’s been fun, especially doing it with these guys. It’s like a bit of a locker room feel again,” Stewart told The Athletic last year. “When guys say they miss football, you don’t miss getting tackled. You don’t miss getting beat up. You miss being able to be around your guys. So that’s been fun. And not ever having to question what we’re doing. We’ve got guys that know ball.”
We get after it. We play real football.
Greg Olsen says Charlotte Christian gets after it and plays “real football” and incorporates aspects of an advanced program like skill and film sessions, team meals and walk throughs. The staff coaches the kids hard, but they have fun and work on being disciplined and getting better each week.
Throughout the season Youth Inc. will be following Charlotte Christian with mic’d up segments. Olsen will also be doing weekly segments with Bussin’ With the Boys every Monday.
The Staff
Greg Olsen – Played 14 seasons in the NFL for the Bears, Panthers and Seahawks. Went to three Pro Bowls. Currently co-founder of Youth Inc. and a NFL broadcaster for Fox.
Luke Kuechly – Seven-time Pro Bowler and won Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Won the Butkus Award at Boston College.
