Mr. Brian Welch is an accomplished educator, coach, and athletic administrator with more than two decades of experience in education and interscholastic athletics. He currently serves as Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Berkeley High School, where his leadership has helped usher in one of the most successful eras in the history of Berkeley athletics.

A native of Suwanee, Georgia, Mr. Welch graduated from North Gwinnett High School in 2001 where he distinguished himself as a student-athlete. His impact on the program continued beyond his playing days, and in recognition of his contributions to the school’s athletic tradition, he was inducted into the North Gwinnett Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mr. Welch continued both his academic and athletic career at Presbyterian College, where he played collegiate basketball under head coach Greg Nibert while earning a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education. Following college, he began a career in education that included sixteen years teaching self-contained special education across multiple high schools in two states before transitioning into school leadership.

His coaching career began at his alma mater, North Gwinnett High School, where he served as an Assistant Varsity and Head Junior Varsity Basketball Coach. In 2008, Mr. Welch joined Ashley Ridge High School during the school’s inaugural year. As the Head Boys Basketball Coach, he helped launch both the new school and its basketball program, building the foundation for the program during the school’s first six years.

In 2014, Mr. Welch joined Berkeley High School as a Special Education teacher and Assistant Athletic Director. During his time on the Berkeley leadership team, he earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from University of South Carolina in 2021. He served as Interim Athletic Director during the 2021–2022 school year before being officially appointed to lead the Berkeley High School Athletic Department in April of 2022.

Under Mr. Welch’s leadership, Berkeley High School Athletics has experienced historic growth and success. The Stags captured baseball state championships in 2022 and 2025, while the Lady Stags Basketball program achieved a historic milestone by winning the first female state championship in school history in 2025 and following it with a second consecutive state title in 2026. During this period, Berkeley teams also advanced to five Lower State Championship games in a single calendar year(2025) across football, boys basketball, girls basketball, softball, and baseball—an unprecedented accomplishment for the program.

Beyond championships, Mr. Welch has focused on building a culture of excellence across all athletic programs. His leadership has included significant facility improvements, strengthened community partnerships, and the implementation of a comprehensive strength and conditioning program that earned national recognition through the National High School Strength Coaches Association Program of Excellence Award. These efforts have helped establish Berkeley High School as one of the premier athletic programs in the state.

Mr. Welch remains committed to the mission of Berkeley High School Athletics: to provide a comprehensive athletic program that complements and supports a rigorous academic experience. The department strives to cultivate an environment rooted in academic integrity, social and moral responsibility, respect for others, and competitive excellence—developing student-athletes who are prepared to be both scholars and champions.

Mr. Welch is married to Dr. Erin Welch, and together they have two children, Connor and Cody.

welchb@bcsdschools.net