2022
Coach Lotti enters his 11th year as a head coach and his 5th season leading the Apalachee football program. In 2021, Coach Lotti led the Wildcats to their first state playoff appearance in 12 years and was the region runner-up. For his efforts, he was named GHSA Region 8 AAAAA Coach of the Year and Mainstreet News Coach of the Year. In his first season at Apalachee, he led the Wildcats to the Fox 5 Team of the Week honors, and the Wildcats were the Fox 5 & 11 Alive Game of the Week winner. The Wildcats also won the Battle of Barrow for the first time in 6 years, bringing the BOB Trophy back to Apalachee. Prior to coming to Apalachee, he led the West Hall Spartans to five straight state playoff appearances in his six years at West Hall. In 2016, the Spartans advanced to the AAAA State Playoffs Sweet 16 for the first time since 1995. In 2014, his third season at West Hall, he led the Spartans to their first Region Championship in the school’s 27 year history. In 2014, Coach Lotti was named National Coach of the Year from Dove Men + Care and the College Football Hall of Fame. He was featured in an ad in the December 2014 Sportsman of the Year issue of Sports Illustrated. Coach Lotti was also named Region 7AAA Coach of the Year and Area Coach of the year multiple times. Coach Lotti holds a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, Tennessee and a Master’s of Education degree in Cross Categorical Special Education. While in college, he earned All-American and All Conference honors in football as a punter, and was brought into training camp with the New England Patriots in 1990. In 2005 Coach Lotti was the first State of Georgia recipient of the National Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association – USA Football Champion’s Award and he was inducted into the Tennessee Wesleyan College Hall of Fame. Coach Lotti is the author of two best-selling books: Fourth Down and Long: Everything Is Possible When You Believe & A Break in the Rain: A Boy, His Coach and a Special Wish. A Break in the Rain , released in 2011, has received the Editor’s Choice designation and won the Rising Star Award. A Break in the Rain was also named the WINNER at the 2011 International Book Awards and a Winner at the 2011 Hollywood Book Festival. Both books are available through major booksellers’ world-wide. Coach Lotti often speaks at conventions, business functions and seminars throughout the year. Coach Lotti is the founder of the FHL Flag Football League – an organization designed to provide children in special education the opportunity to participate in organized football and cheerleading. His program has been featured on FOX 5 News, Fox’s Good Day Atlanta and NBC’s 11 Alive News. Coach Lotti has been recognized by the State Senate of Pennsylvania where students are now participating. His program was the first of its kind anywhere in the country. Prior to his time at West Hall, Coach Lotti spent seven years at Union Grove High School, where he helped build their new program resulting in a Region Championship and a State Quarter-Final berth in only their third season. (2002) The Wolverines made State Playoff appearances four of his last five seasons at Union Grove in both AA and AAAAA classifications. In 2007, Coach Lotti moved to Woodland High School to help start their new program and in only their third year of existence, he helped their program to a 7-3 record and first trip to the AAA state playoffs. Coach Lotti has been married for 32 years to Debbie and they have three children, Antonia and her husband Jordan Adams, Anissa and her husband Joe Hulen, and son Anthony. They have two grandsons, James Adams age 4, Carter Adams age 2 and one granddaughter Adaelynn age 8 months. |
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