Macon Times

Stratford Academy issued the following announcement on Dec. 2. 

Stratford Academy announces that Mark Farriba will retire from his role as head football coach at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Coach Farriba will remain the school's athletic director. He has been at the head of Stratford's football program for a combined 13 years from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2013 to 2021 earning the program a GISA AAA state title in 2004, GISA AAA state runner-up title in 2013, and making a GHSA A Private final four appearance in 2015.
 

"Stratford Academy football will always have a special place in my heart. I have been blessed with great teammates, coaches, players, and families at Stratford," said Farriba. "The opportunity that Grady Smith gave me to coach at a school where I was a student for 12 years and a part of our first football team in 1970 has been incredibly special to me. But, most of all, I am thankful for the relationships with our players and coaches over the years and what they have meant to me and my family."
 

In addition to his time at Stratford, Farriba's coaching career spans 44 years with positions at the University of Georgia, First Presbyterian Day School (Macon), the University of Kentucky, and Prince Avenue Christian School (Athens). In his 30 years as a head football coach, he compiled a record of 215-134-3, two state championship titles (1985 SEAIS AAA First Presbyterian Day School, 2004 GISA AAA Stratford Academy), four state runners-up titles (1988 GISA AAA First Presbyterian Day School, 1989 GISA AAA First Presbyterian Day School, 2012 GHSA A Private Prince Avenue Christian School, 2013 GISA AAA Stratford Academy), and four state semi-final appearances (1987 GISA AAA First Presbyterian Day School, 1992 GISA AAA First Presbyterian Day School, 2011 GHSA A Prince Avenue Christian School, 2015 GHSA A Private Stratford Academy).
 

"Mark Farriba and Stratford Academy are synonymous with one another. Mark has been involved with Stratford for over four decades and has built an incredible reputation for not only our football program, but for the entire athletic department at our school," said head of school Logan Bowlds. "I thank him for his many years of service to our school, our program, and for the hundreds of young men he has mentored throughout the years."
 

Farriba was an All-State football, basketball, and baseball player during his student days at Stratford Academy. He played football at the University of Georgia from 1974 to 1977, including the 1976 SEC Championship team. He was a Class of 2010 inductee into the Stratford Academy Athletic Hall of Fame and a Class of 2013 honoree for the Macon Sports Hall of Fame.
 

Effective immediately, Stratford will engage in a regional search for their next head football coach. Interested applicants should email a resume to mark.farriba@stratford.org

Original source can be found here.

Source: Stratford Academy