FORT WAYNE, Ind. (SummitCitySports) – South Side High School has been a cornerstone of Fort Wayne history for 103 years. Its alumni include fashion icons Bill Blass and Ken Scott, actresses Julia Barr and Shelley Long, and professional athletes DeMarcus Beasley, Bernard Pollard, and Willie Long.
But perhaps the most celebrated figure locally is Coach Eddie Nolan.
An Institutional Archer
Currently, Nolan serves as a leader for South Side’s track program while also coaching for the University of Saint Francis (USF) football team. His knowledge and experience stem from his own days as a standout athlete.
As a South Side student in 1977, Nolan set a school record in the 4×100 meter relay. He went on to play football at South Carolina State before transferring to Butler University, where he also competed in track.
After graduating, he returned to South Side in 1983—and has been mentoring athletes there for more than 40 years.
“My greatest accomplishment is seeing kids go to college, and now they’re coaching,” Nolan shared. “Some of them played in the NFL, some are coaching football or basketball. The accomplishment is seeing kids helping other kids grow.”
Building the South Side Track & Field Program
Coach Nolan has led South Side’s track and field program for over 38 years. Beyond wins and records, he focuses on building confidence in his athletes.
Brett Cox, then a senior, described his impact: “I was never the kind of kid that thought I would do sports past middle school. High school sports were really intimidating to me, and here I am about to receive my 12th varsity letter.”
Even athletes outside his specialty feel his impact.
“Coach Nolan is not my primary coach, and yet, he know who I was out the gate,” Cox explained. “There were races where I felt like I was completely alone on the track running the two mile — it’s raining, and yet I can still hear Coach Nolan on the backstretch going, get your knees up, keep good form!”
“Even though, I’m a girls distance runner. He’s the male sprint coach and yet he’s still so invested in knowing my times and helping me out.”
North Side High School football coach Brandon Crawford, also a South Side graduate, credited Nolan with preparing him for collegiate football at Ball State. Today, Crawford’s own athletes compete against Nolan’s, but the respect remains strong.
“Without Coach Nolan, I think there would be a lot of displaced kids that wouldn’t participate in the sport and events and have that structured discipline,” Crawford said. “That conditioning he gave us. That will to fight. To be consistent and constantly showing up and being present. It was something that followed, and it took me far.”
The program has had plenty of triumphs too. In 2019, South Side’s 4×400 relay team swept sectionals and regionals before capturing the state title, thanks to a dramatic finish by De’Amond Talton.
“Consistency, longevity… once you establish a program and you’re consistent and you’re coaching,” Nolan described, “You change that culture.”
A New Chapter with the Cougars
Nolan’s coaching journey also extends to the University of Saint Francis. The football program was founded in 1997 by legendary head coach Kevin Donley. After stepping away from South Side football to raise his son, Nolan found himself at a USF game.
One conversation with Donley brought him back to the sidelines.
“Coach Donley asked, ‘Do you miss coaching?’ I said yes. He said, ‘Do you want to coach here?’ That was it,” Nolan recalled.
For the past 26 years, Nolan has coached in different roles at USF, working alongside Donley and contributing to the program’s rise — including back-to-back NAIA national championships in 2016 and 2017.
In 2025, Donley stepped down after 28 seasons, making Nolan’s leadership even more essential. His steady presence has helped smooth the transition to new head coach Adam Sherman.
Sherman, himself a former USF standout and Rimington Trophy winner, praised Nolan’s influence:
“When I came at 18, I left at 22,” Sherman shared. “He was a guy who was always there for me, always positive, always hugged it out, always giving me props.”
“The second I got back, it felt like I never left, because of him,” he added.
Players continue to lean on Nolan’s mentorship.
“He’s always one of the coaches that’s always checking up on you.,” player Jaydin Evans explained. “You’ll come by here, he’ll say what’s up to you, ask how I’m doing, even on the field, he’ll find us time to stretch, if I’m feeling tight, He’s always personally, you know, making sure we’re stretching out.”
“He’s just always been a coach we can count on”
Quarterback Joshua Kulka echoed that sentiment:
“Honestly you know, I feel like the guys, we haven’t skipped a beat,” he said. “I think just having someone in the program, knows what we’re about, knows our culture, has been here through thick and thin, and I think its just helped the guys really rally around that.”
“Continuity is king,” Sherman shared. “We have a good group of a bunch of guys who have been here since day one. Some of them have coached me when I was here. They stayed because they see what we’re doing and they see the mission of the program and it’s meant the world to have those guys here.”
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
For now, Nolan continues to inspire at both South Side and USF. His career spans nearly half of South Side’s history, connecting generations of athletes.
“South Side is a great school with great tradition,” Nolan added. “And when you have tradition like that at a school like that, you just want to keep that going.”
Retirement isn’t certain, but Nolan says his proudest achievement has been coaching his son. His new dream is to coach his granddaughter in South Side’s track program.
“As far as the future… I really don’t know what it holds, but I do love the kids that I coach here.”
Coach Eddie Nolan remains what he has always been— a mentor, motivator, and cornerstone of Fort Wayne athletics.
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