Changing of the guard at Charlotte Christian. Football coach Jason Estep steps down
BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
When Jason Estep was named football coach at Charlotte Christian 17 years ago, the Knights had been through four coaches in three seasons. In two of those years, the Knights won a combined three games.
But Estep thought he could build a winner at Charlotte Christian — and he built a dominant N.C. private school state power.
Estep, who resigned Tuesday, led Charlotte Christian to a NCISAA Division I state championship in 2008, which was his second year with the program. Christian won three in a row from 2012-14 and four in a row from 2017-20.
The Knights lost to Providence Day in the state championship game this season, the final game for Estep’s son, Cam, as quarterback. Cam Estep is a senior.
Jason Estep will start a new job as an operations manager with Universal Forest Products next month and will be leaving his positions as football coach and assistant athletic director at Christian. Charlotte Christian alumnus Chris James will be the new head football coach.
James played under Estep for three years before playing at Richmond and ultimately graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in exercise science.
James coached at Christian from 2010-16 before leaving to become head coach at Covenant Day. After three years at Covenant Day, James was an offensive coordinator at Ardrey Kell and Myers Park High Schools in Charlotte. He returned to Christian this fall as offensive coordinator under Estep.
“I am confident that coach James will build upon the foundation that coach Estep created while maintaining the culture of excellence that is (Charlotte Christian) football,” Knights head of school Barry Giller said.
At Christian, Estep had a record of 138-42 with the eight state championships, four state runner-up finishes and 10 conference titles. He sent 96 players to college and two to the NFL — Garrett Bradbury (Knights class of ‘14, a lineman with the Vikings) and Matthias Farley (class of ‘11, who plays with the Raiders). Estep was twice named coach of the year by the National Christian Schools Athletic Association as well as The Observer.
“While all of these accomplishments are remarkable,” Giller said, “what was most important is how Coach Estep invested in his players. His desire was to teach our student-athletes how to compete at the highest level and honor God. His intentional discipleship greatly influenced hundreds of players as they left (Charlotte Christian) and are now impacting the culture for Christ.”
BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
When Jason Estep was named football coach at Charlotte Christian 17 years ago, the Knights had been through four coaches in three seasons. In two of those years, the Knights won a combined three games.
But Estep thought he could build a winner at Charlotte Christian — and he built a dominant N.C. private school state power.
Estep, who resigned Tuesday, led Charlotte Christian to a NCISAA Division I state championship in 2008, which was his second year with the program. Christian won three in a row from 2012-14 and four in a row from 2017-20.
The Knights lost to Providence Day in the state championship game this season, the final game for Estep’s son, Cam, as quarterback. Cam Estep is a senior.
Jason Estep will start a new job as an operations manager with Universal Forest Products next month and will be leaving his positions as football coach and assistant athletic director at Christian. Charlotte Christian alumnus Chris James will be the new head football coach.
James played under Estep for three years before playing at Richmond and ultimately graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in exercise science.
James coached at Christian from 2010-16 before leaving to become head coach at Covenant Day. After three years at Covenant Day, James was an offensive coordinator at Ardrey Kell and Myers Park High Schools in Charlotte. He returned to Christian this fall as offensive coordinator under Estep.
“I am confident that coach James will build upon the foundation that coach Estep created while maintaining the culture of excellence that is (Charlotte Christian) football,” Knights head of school Barry Giller said.
At Christian, Estep had a record of 138-42 with the eight state championships, four state runner-up finishes and 10 conference titles. He sent 96 players to college and two to the NFL — Garrett Bradbury (Knights class of ‘14, a lineman with the Vikings) and Matthias Farley (class of ‘11, who plays with the Raiders). Estep was twice named coach of the year by the National Christian Schools Athletic Association as well as The Observer.
“While all of these accomplishments are remarkable,” Giller said, “what was most important is how Coach Estep invested in his players. His desire was to teach our student-athletes how to compete at the highest level and honor God. His intentional discipleship greatly influenced hundreds of players as they left (Charlotte Christian) and are now impacting the culture for Christ.”