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On Monday Nov. 20, former Coffee County Red Raider Football Coach Ryan Sulkowski died at the age of 45.

No details have been given on his cause of death at this time.

“We are saddened to hear about the passing of Ryan Sulkowski,” said current Coffee Central Fall Athletic Director Brandon McWhorter. “Our hearts go out to their family for their loss.”

Before his stint with the Red Raiders, Sulkowski had experience coaching at the college and high school level.

Sulkowski broke into coaching at his alma mater at Valdosta State University in Georgia, before stints with Lenoir-Rhyne University where he worked with tight ends and running backs, Austin Peay as the run-game coordinator and offensive line coach, Hargrave Military Academy as the offensive coordinator and helped lead the Tigers to three prep school national championships, Chowan University where he was a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year Award and Clemson where he worked under coaches Tommy Bowden and Dabo Swinney. 

In 2012, Sulkowski led the Baker County High School Football Team to a Class 5A Florida High School District Championship.

Sulkowski coached the Red Raiders from 2014 through 2018, with the team going 11-41 in that span, which included back-to-back wins in the annual “Battle for the Coffee Pot” game in 2015 and 2016 over the rival Tullahoma Wildcats.

In April of 2019, Sulkowski stepped away from coaching the Red Raiders before moving on to coach the Warriors of James B. Hunt High School in Wilson, North Carolina, going 5-7 and making the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs for the first time in four years, according to The Wilson Times

Sulkowski, who was also the Assistant Athletic Director during his tenure at Hunt, resigned as the Warriors head coach in May of 2020.

At the time of his death, Sulkowski had been working as an Expert Wild Horse Tracker/ Guide at Wild Horse Adventure Tours in North Carolina, based on his social media page.

Ryan Sulkowski is survived by his wife Heather, daughter Doxie Brynn, mother Gloria and brothers Joseph and Frank.

“Ryan was truly one-of-a-kind,” said his brother, Frank, via Facebook. “My only hope and prayer is that his spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of those who knew him or met him.” 

A memorial service for Ryan Sulkowski will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Wanchese Assembly of God in Wanchese, North Carolina.