: Coaching Staff

Mark's Pic
Coach Mark Karen
Girls' Varsity Head Coach
Boys' Varsity Assistant Coach

Coach Mark Karen is in his 11th year at North Gwinnett. He is also in his 11th year as the Varsity Girls’ Head Coach and is the Varsity Boys’ Assistant Coach. Coach Karen is the Athletic Director and is also the Head Coach of the Girls’ Cross Country Team. Coach Karen has been married for 11 years to Julia. Mark and Julia are the proud parents of six year-old Darbi Karen and two year-old Ryleigh Karen.  

     In his 11 years as the Girls’ Head Coach, Coach Karen has an impressive 141-48-4 record. Coach Karen had his most successful season as a head coach this past spring (2010) where his girls won the school's first State Championship (AAAAA).  They also defended their region championship (2009 & 2010) with a 9-0 record and finished with an overall 19-3 overall record.  The girls’ team finished ranked #1 in the state in the All-Classification category, finished #4 in the Southeast, and #15 in the Nation!  His girls’ team also won the region title in 2004.  Coach Karen won the NSCAA State Coach of the Year for the 2010 season.  He is also a 4-time Gwinnett County Coach of the Year and he was voted 2004 Coach of the Year in Gwinnett County for both the Boys and Girls programs by his fellow coaches. He has been named Girls COY by the AJC and Gwinnett Daily Post. He has also been a coach at several All-Star Soccer Games held at the end of each season.  Coach Karen’s girls’ cross country team won the AAAAA state championship in 2009 and he has been voted the Gwinnett County Coach of the Year in 2007, 2008, and 2009.  He also was named the state Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2009.




Coach Michael Wentzler
Boys' Varsity Head Coach
Girls' Varsity Assistant Coach

Coach Mike Wentzler is new to North Gwinnett this year as the varsity boy's head coach.  This is also his first year as a teacher at North where he currently teaches biology and chemistry.  In addition to coaching at North, Mike coaches at Dacula Soccer Club.  Coach Wentzler is the head coach for the DSC U15 and U17 boys team as well as the keeper trainer.  Mike currently holds a National 'D' coaching license.   Mike came to North Gwinnett from Duluth High School where he taught and coached the JV boys team for the past 2 years.  Prior to Duluth, Mike attended Berry College where he played goalkeeper.  While at Berry he was a two-time All-American player (2006 & 2007).  In addition, Coach Wentzler was awarded the 2007 Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Year.



Wimpey Pic

Coach Wimpey

Girls' JV Coach
Boys' and Girls' Varsity Assistant Coach

Coach Wimpey is beginning his 19th year of coaching high school soccer.  He began coaching soccer at South Gwinnett in the 1987 season as the varsity girls coach.  He took the Lady Comets to the play-offs 3 times in 5 years. In the 1992 season Coach Wimpey took over the boys program at North Gwinnett and was varsity boys’ coach until 2003. Under his leadership the boys made the playoffs 5 times. Since that time Coach Wimpey has acted as an advisor to both programs here at North Gwinnett. Coach Wimpey was voted Gwinnett Goal Club Girl’s Coach of the Year in 1988 and Gwinnett Goal Club Boy’s Coach of the Year in 1994.  He has also been North Gwinnett Teacher of the Year (1995) and STAR teacher (1999, 2000, and 2006). Coach Wimpey teaches science at North Gwinnett and also coaches cross-country.  He has been married to his wife Donna for 32 years.  They have one son, Evan who graduated from North Gwinnett in 2004 and graduated from Georgia Tech in 2008.

 



Coach Erik Crawford

Boys' JV Coach
Boys' and Girls' Varsity Assistant Coach

Coach Crawford is in his 6th year with the soccer program at North, and his 4th year as a Boys' Head Coach.  Coach Crawford teaches geometry at NGHS.  Coach Crawford played soccer for two years at Oglethorpe University before transferring to the University of Georgia.  He graduated from UGA in 2003 with a BSed in Mathematics Education.  While studying at UGA, Coach Crawford coached at the college club level for three years taking the team to Nationals for the first time in UGA history.  During his student teaching at UGA, Erik started the soccer program at Elbert County Comprehensive High School.  

     Erik is a product of the Gwinnett County Public School system, graduating from Shiloh High School in 1997.  Throughout his high school career he played soccer, football, and ran cross-country.  Coach Crawford played classic soccer at Snellville, Mountain Park, and Brookwood.  For several summers, he had the opportunity to play soccer in England, Sweden, and Denmark.  Coach Crawford holds a "D" license and has coached all ages ranging from u6 and u8 up to u19 Classic and Athena.  He has most recently coached two Athena "A" teams at GSA.  Coach Crawford was named the 2007 Gwinnett County Boys Coach of the Year after coaching the Bulldogs to their first region championship.  Coach Crawford says he loves the team concept at NGHS with the coaches as well as the players.