Coach Portman takes over the helm from Coach King who is stepping down as Head Coach but will remain o staff as the assistant head coach to free up some time for he and his family. Charles begins his third season with the Express and in addition to his head coaching duties he will also act as our defensive coordinator.
In Coach Portman's previous 2 seasons the Express have racked up an impressive 20-3 record including 2 division titles, a regional title, GDFL Xtreme Conference Champions, 2021 GDFL National Championship and a 2022 USA Bowl Summer Division National Championship. In January we will once again be heading to Florida to face the Minneapolis Warriors a champions from 2022 as well.
Last season Charles did an amazing job with the ever changing roster. Whether it was injuries or no shows coach Portman kept a positive attitude every practice and game and led by example. He has a great sense for putting players in the best possible position to benefit them and the team. Coach Portman's ability to put players in the best position for success has played a huge roll in the above mentioned team accolades.
Charles is a graduate of Mount Vernon, HS in Alexandria, Virginia where he was a three year letter winner in football. Charles played his college ball at Delaware State before moving to Akron, OH. Charles has served as the defensive coordinator for Springfield, HS (OH). In 2019 Charles joined the Ohio Silverbacks as the Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator. Charles helped guide the Silverbacks to a PAFL T2 Championship and a national bowl game appearance. Prior to joining the Silverbacks Portman served as the Defensive Coordinator of the Ohio Broncos where he helped lead them to a division title and OFL Championship Game appearance.
"A coaching change this close to the start of the season for most teams would be catastrophic. For us and the way this transition is it will be smooth and efficient. Coach King did an amazing job and Coach Port will as well. Our Head Coaches have always been successful guys from within the program and who know what we need. Charles has done an amazing job, is a proven winner everywhere he goes and we expect that to remain the same in his new role. Coach Portman does an amazing job for us. He is as passionate a coach as you will find. By the end of every game he can hardly speak. He pushes his payers to reach their full potential on and off the field. He wants to see them shine and in doing so the team shines. He demands their best and brings that same energy to every practice and game. We hope to have our full squad healthy and ready to rock in January and we know Coach will have the guys ready to go. We are very blessed to have Coach Charles back and are excited to see what we accomplish in 2023"-Director of Operations Paul Pennington.
Coach Portman has recently been named the offensive line coach at Akron Buchtel High School. In his first season there, the Griffs are City Series Champions and have qualified for the OHSAA Playoffs! GO GRIFFS!
Charles resides in Akron, OH with his wife and three children.
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