Former Coffee High Trojans head football coach Bonwell Royal, 83, passed away early Wednesday morning, May 29, 2024, after an extended illness. He drifted peacefully into eternal rest at home surrounded by family.
Coach Royal is the winningest and longest tenured head football coach in Coffee High School history. His head coaching career spanned 29 seasons — 26 at Coffee and three at Manchester. He took over the Trojans in 1972 and retired following the 1993 season. He returned to Coffee in 2001 and retired again 2004. During his 26 years as a Trojan, he posted a 166-104-5 record. His teams won three region championships (1981, 1982, 2002) and advanced to the semifinals of the state playoffs in 1981 and the quarterfinals in 1982. In three seasons at Manchester, he was 19-11. Overall, Coach Royal’s record was 185-115-5.
At the time of his second retirement in 2004, Coach Royal was one of the top 50 winningest high school football coaches in Georgia. He leaves to mourn his passing his devoted wife Betty, son John, daughter Angie, and their families, as well as thousands of student-athletes who learned lifelong lessons of hard work, toughness, and perseverance while under his tutelage.
“Bonwell Royal was called to coach like many others are called into a profession. He found a way to get me on the field at 5’9, slow, and 145 pounds and I’ll always be grateful. He’s the best and we always respected or even may have been scared of him even the last time I saw him in his later days. We imitated his voice, we quoted his sayings (all of them no matter what they were), and we wanted to hit him during Gatorball but didn’t have the stones to try it. He was truly a coach and a mentor to us all. He loved the game of football as much as anyone I know and dedicated his life to the game and Coffee County. Coach Royal will be missed but has gone on to a much better place. We pray for all of his family and will miss the Old Ball Coach,” said Stan Hughes, current head baseball coach at Atkinson County and a former player.
“Coach Royal had a long successful football coaching career and laid the foundation for the Coffee football program as we know it today. Coach Royal mentored so many young men and instilled toughness, grit, and character in our Coffee Trojans. Coach Royal will be missed by so many and prayers are going up from the Coffee County Schools for his wife Betty, daughter Angie and son John and grandchildren,” stated Dr. Morris Leis, Coffee County Schools Superintendent and one of Coach Royal’s former players.
“Coffee athletics would like to offer condolences to the Royal family on the loss of a Trojan legend. He meant so much to so many, myself included. He brought me here 42 years ago and mentored me from day one. He afforded me every opportunity to learn and grow. I owe Coach Royal for my career and I will be forever grateful,” said Coffee High Athletic Director Steve Wight.
“Coach Bonwell Royal was more than just a coach; he was a leader, motivator, and rock solid presence for countless young men. His tireless work ethic, fierce competitiveness, and steadfast leadership shaped not only skilled athletes but also individuals of strong character and resilience. As the current head coach, I am deeply grateful for the foundation he laid and we will honor his memory by embodying the toughness and tenacity he exemplified. Thank you, Coach Royal, for your unwavering dedication and extraordinary contributions to our community. Rest in peace, Coach, you will be dearly missed but never forgotten,” said current Coffee High head football coach Mike Coe.
In 2023, 19 years after his retirement, Coach Royal saw his beloved Trojans win their first-ever state football championship.