Former Putnam player makes impact as coach

Eatonton native Damoio’n Wright loves impacting kids’ lives, especially on the football field.

The former Putnam County football player became a high school coach after suffering a career-ending injury. Wright hasn’t been coaching football that long but has found a passion in the sport he grew up loving.

Wright, 28, has already amassed an impressive resume while learning a lot about himself and his profession. He currently is the running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator at Grayson High School, a Class 7A football powerhouse in Gwinnett County.

Wright helped lead Grayson to the Georgia High School Association’s Class 7A semifinal last year in his first season. The Rams defeated powerhouse Buford en route to finishing as one of the nation’s top teams in 2024.

“The come up has been great. I’ve been to some places where I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly,” Wright told The Eatonton Messenger. “Since I have been in the metro Atlanta area, I have seen what it’s supposed to look like. Being at Grayson is probably the best experience I’ve had so far. We do things how they’re supposed to be done. I tell people it’s like being at a small college. 

“We do everything from lifting weights to meetings and getting the kids to eat right. It was a totally different ball game when I came to Grayson.”

Football was a part of Wright’s life at a young age. He remembers playing peewee at the Putnam County Recreation Department and then competing for the War Eagles in high school under then-coach Ben Reaves.

After high school, Wright played football at Itawamba Community College in Mississippi before settling in Milledgeville at Georgia Military College, where he suffered a career-ending injury. Wright then got a degree from Liberty University and started coaching. Reaves, his former Putnam County coach, gave him his first job.

“I knew I wouldn’t play again once I got hurt. I just knew things wouldn’t work out,” Wright said. “Coach Reaves gave me my first job. He let me come to Walnut Grove High School with him in an analyst role.”

Wright then returned to Lake Country and coached at Greene County, where his brother, Arkyius Wright, played. Wright’s career took off after a short stint with the Tigers. He has coached at several other schools, including Alcovy, Heritage, Johns Creek, and Washington County, but is now content at Grayson.

Wright has racked up several accomplishments in his short career as a coach. Last year, two reputable websites covering high school football named him one of the Peach State’s best assistant coaches under 30.

Wright hasn’t forgotten where he’s from, though, so he comes back home to help train local kids. For instance, Wright has impacted current Morgan County football player Draco Frazzitta, who trains with him a few times each month.

“He’s been the guy that’s believed in me since day one,” Frazzitta said. “He does whatever he can to get me out to coaches to help me get recruited. He’s a great guy with a heart who just wants the best for all his people.”

Wright has learned a lot along the way but knows the most important thing is impacting players’ lives on and off the field. He can see himself as a football coach for the rest of his life.

“It’s great. I love it,” Wright said. “As long I can touch these kids’ lives and help them out, I feel like I am doing my job.”