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MEN OF NEWTON 2021: Camiel Grant Jr.
Camiel Grant
Camiel Grant spent four years as the Newton Rams' head football coach. He resigned from the position Friday. -photo by Sydney Chacon

Camiel Grant Jr. has been invested in Newton High School for 14 overall years. 

He is currently the head football coach for the Rams. Grant uses his position as a way to help better the lives of the kids on his team no matter their status. 

Grant considers that his main mission in life. 

“The kids who are ‘better’ athletes have a lot of people clamoring to give them advice,” Grant said. “To have the kid who’s the backup left guard or is just on the kickoff team come and talk with you about their family or plans after high school. That’s the most important part.”  

Grant has held many more positions outside of head football coach. 

During his 14 years at NHS, Grant has been a Business Education, Engineering and Weight Training teacher. In athletics, he’s been a position coach, special teams coordinator, offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. 

In addition to being the head coach now, Grant is also the assistant athletic director. 

Grant’s efforts in his various roles earned him a teacher of the year award, too. 

Through his time as a Ram, Grant has noticed one common trend that has helped NHS thrive: community support. 

“You’ve got kids whose grandparents went through the school system,” Grant said. “Some of the teachers here have had their classmates’ kids come through and have taught them. I think that makes the Newton County School System successful.” 

Moving to Covington and working at NHS is a decision Grant doesn’t regret. The community support has been made evident from the very beginning to Grant. 

For someone who grew up in the small town of Union Point, Grant stressed just how settling his 14 years have been for him acclimating to the area.

Admittedly, Grant stated that Covington is a lot bigger than his hometown, but he noticed some similarities between the two cities upon his arrival that makes Newton County a special place. 

“I first came to Covington not knowing much at all,” Grant said. “But when I arrived here, I felt some of the same types of family and community connections. That made it feel like home.”