May 6, 2008

ROME, Ga. -- Fisher DeBerry, legendary Air Force Academy head football coach, has been announced as the guest speaker for the 2008 NAIA National Football Championship Champions of Character breakfast to be held on Thursday, Dec. 18. The event, which is open to the public, will be held at Rome's The Forum, as part of a week of events leading up to the Shorter (Ga.) College and city of Rome-hosted NAIA Championship Football game.

"He perfectly exemplifies what the Champions of Character program is all about," said Bill Peterson, Shorter College athletic director and co-chair of the Host Committee. "As soon as his name was brought up for consideration, we all knew that he was the right one to deliver a message about what a true champion is."

DeBerry graduated from Wofford College in 1960, where he lettered in football and baseball. After coaching and teaching in high school for six years, he returned to Wofford and won 21 consecutive games as an assistant, and led the school to a No. 1 ranking in the NAIA. From 1971-1979, DeBerry was an assistant coach at Appalachian State University, before being hired in 1980 as the quarterbacks coach at the United States Air Force Academy. He was promoted to offensive coordinator a year later, and, after the 1983 season, was promoted again to head coach.

He was the head football coach at the Air Force Academy for 23 years, and his 169 wins (169-107-1) is the most in school history. During his career, he was named the WAC Coach of the Year three times, and, in 1985, won the Paul "Bear" Bryant award as NCAA college football coach of the year.

He has been actively involved in church and community efforts since his 2006 retirement, and has strong ties to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He and his wife, LuAnn, have assisted fund-raising efforts for Easter Seals, the March of Dimes, the Salvation Army and the American Heart Association.

"He's not only an amazing football coach, but a man who I look up to," added head Shorter College football coach Phil Jones. "It will be great for this community and for the players involved to hear him speak."