PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
The FOOTBALL COACH
56 Port St. Lucie Magazine
GREG GARDNER
His players look up to Jamar Chaney as head football coach at St. Lucie West Centennial High School and also as a linebacker who played football in the
National Football League. Chaney has returned to coach where he started his career.
Jamar Chaney has come full circle from being a star at
St. Lucie West Centennial High School to being a player
for five years in the National Football League and back
again as head coach at the school where it all began.
The 30-year-old Chaney — who could be the youngest
head football coach in the state — will lead the Fighting
Eagles in his first season in addition to his first year teaching
physical education. He is working with the players five
afternoons a week in conditioning and weight training — the
only activities allowed under Florida high school rules until
the practice officially begins in the summer.
Chaney, who still has the sculpted physique of an NFL
linebacker, is literally and figuratively looked up to by
the squad’s biggest players. He played three seasons with
Philadelphia and two with Atlanta, Denver and Oakland.
He ended his pro career with 163 tackles, three interceptions,
three forced fumbles and one sack.
Chaney has a quiet confidence about him and when he
does speak up, his players hang on every word. They know
he started his career with the Port St. Lucie Eagles and went
on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Duke Schneider, who has been a football coach and PE
teacher for 40 years, was linebacker coach during Chaney’s
senior year. An avid Philadelphia Eagles fan, he was thrilled
when Chaney left him tickets to games three consecutive
years with “Coach Schneider” on the envelope. “I was
ecstatic he was on my (Eagles) team and his first start was
incredible,” Schneider said, adding he in turn advised him on
good places to live in Philadelphia, what to do and outstanding
restaurants.
“Jamar will bring respect to the football program,” Schneider
said. “He will teach his players the right thing to do in
life and in football. He is someone you look up to and he
has a lot to give on how he got there (NFL). He has a lot
of work ahead and it won’t be easy, but Jamar has found a
home here.”
Chaney has been shadowing former Centennial head football
coach Ron Parker who coached him, helped him during
the college recruiting process and provided recommendations
to interested NFL teams. “Jamar told me his freshman year
>>
BY GREG GARDNER