david gallagher
BY BEN GRUNERT
The John Milledge Academy boys ’ basketball practice heats up as the players compete in an intense scrimmage . The boys sprint up and down the court as the ball flies from player to player . The ball finds senior Hunter Hudson in the paint , and an open man reveals himself behind the three-point line .
A pass to the corner finds David Gallagher , the dean of the high school , and he hits the shot with ease .
Gallagher is more than just the Dean of High School Students at John Milledge Academy — he is the head coach of the boys ’ basketball team , winners of the 2021 GISA Class AAA State Championship last March .
“ Sports is life with the volume turned all the way up ,” Gallagher says . “ Being in education as a teacher and administrator -- along with coaching -- really enables me to see the whole picture through students and connect with their daily lives inside and outside of sports . If something is going on in a student ’ s life in the classroom or at home , it is easier to be involved in that while seeing both sides of their lives .”
On March 7 , Gallagher led his team to the first boys ’ basketball state championship in John Milledge history . The team had come up short in the 2016 championship game five years earlier , making last spring ’ s victory even sweeter .
“ Most teams finish with a loss , and we were lucky enough not to ,” Gallagher says . “ It was the first state championship I had been a part of . I think it was evident during the playoff run that everyone had bought into playing their role .”
Since he became head coach in 2014 , Gallagher has had a major influence on his players over the years . Before graduating from the John Milledge Academy Class of 2021 , Patrick McDonel helped the team on its way to the state title , scoring 16 points in the championship game . The former player still helps out and practices with the team today .
“ Coach Gallagher has been a coach of mine since the seventh grade ,” McDonel says . “ He has , no doubt , made me into the man and the person that I am today . He has taught me qualities of leadership and being a good teammate .”
Off the court , Gallagher oversees the students of the high school while also teaching a math
class . As a leader and role model for his students and athletes alike , Gallagher strives to maintain the culture of John Milledge . The school ’ s community is as tight-knit as they come , and Gallagher plays a big role in that foundation .
John Milledge Academy only holds 192 students , and many of them are also teammates . Most of the students play multiple sports for the school . Teachers and coaches like Gallagher work hard to create an environment that embodies a close family of students , parents , and staff members .
“ First and foremost , I try to promote the right culture for the high school ,” Gallagher explains . “ We try to make things fun and organized and all about the student experience . At the same time , I look to support our high school teachers on dayto-day things , trying to create the best environment we can as a school .”
Gallagher grew up in the tiny town of Wartrace , Tenn . The city takes the small-town feel of Milledgeville to a whole new level as less than 700 people live there today .
Growing up , Gallagher attended a small public high school where he planted the seeds of his passion for sports . He played football and basketball there , going on to play basketball in college . Gallagher attended Auburn University of Montgomery as a member of the basketball team for four years . During his time there , he met a woman from Iceland named Tinna who later became his wife . As a fellow student-athlete , Tinna played soccer for AUM .
Gallagher and his wife graduated in 2009 and moved to Milledgeville three years later . It was then that Gallagher began his love affair with John Milledge Academy .
“ When I first got here back in 2012 , I was an assistant coach for a year ,” Gallagher says . “ In my second year , I taught full-time for the first five periods of the day , and I was part-time on staff as a volunteer coach for the team at Georgia College .”
After his brief stint with the Georgia College men ’ s basketball team , Gallagher started his career as head coach at John Milledge . He now enters his eighth season as head coach with the team set to kick off their campaign in December .
“ We ’ re looking good this year ,” Gallagher says . “ We have seven guys returning from last year ’ s team , and we have quite a few guys moving up
28 Milledgeville Scene | 20 Under 40 2022