Long time head coach, Bruce Breland, steps down

Irvington, AL – Longtime Alabama high school head football coach Bruce Breland is stepping aside.

The 35 year sideline veteran is leaving the battle on the gridiron to focus on a different fight, his battle with prostate cancer.

Breland had surgery in June and will begin radiation treatments in Birmingham after his retirement.

The Birmingham native and Berry High School graduate began his coaching career at Shelby County’s Coosa Valley Academy leading the Rebels to a 13-8 mark and the program’s first playoff win.

He took over the Bessemer Academy Rebel’s program in 1985 compiling a 14-16 record.  After three seasons in Bessemer, Breland accepted the head coaching position at Fultondale High School.  During his four year tenure in North Jefferson County he turned around a Wildcat program that had gone 5-26 over the past three seasons.  Breland became only the second coach in Wildcats history to leave Fultondale with a winning record, posting 23 wins, 20 losses including three trips to the playoffs and a region title in four seasons.

Breland left Fultondale in 2004 to take over the Shelby County Wildcats program, compiling a 13-9 record over two seasons.  In 2009, he accepted the head coaching position at Birmingham’s Woodlawn High School, leading the Colonels to a 18-22 record and a 5A playoff birth in 2011.

Breland accepted his first head coaching position outside the Birmingham metro area in 2012, taking over an Alma Bryant Huricanes squad that was coming off four straight three win seasons.  He posted a combined 7-34 record over his four seasons in Mobile County including a trip to the post season in 2013.

During his 19 year head coaching career, Breland posted a 88-109 record including 7 trips to the post seasons and a AHSAA 2A region championship at Fultondale in 2002.