Former Benjamin coach Eric Kresser set to lead South Fork football
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Renowned high school football coach Eric Kresser has found his new home.
After a one-year hiatus on the high school coaching scene, Kresser is set to be the next head coach of the South Fork football program.
The move is an instant boon to a program that has struggled in the record book in recent seasons, but which Kresser believes has a commitment to winning alongside a willingness to do what it takes to find prolonged success.
“When I coached at Jupiter High School, I had played against them and what I’ve always known about South Fork was that they have a ton of support from the community,” Kresser said.
“It was always a ‘Friday Night Lights’ situation at the game,” he continued. “It was just a cool feeling. It was a neat place to watch a football game. It felt like the whole community came out to the ballgame. That’s attractive to anybody . . . coaches, parents players.”
Kresser replaces Antwan Blatch, a former South Fork player turned defensive coordinator, who was promoted to interim head role during the 2021 season.
Blatch returned to lead the program in the 2022 seasons, and the Bulldogs have since gone a combined 14-36 across the last five years with him at the helm. He stepped down in November, citing “personal and family reasons.”
South Fork proudly welcomes Coach Kresser to the Bulldog family! Returning to the high school sidelines, he brings leadership, excellence, and a vision for long-term success. “What I’ve always known about South Fork is the incredible community support.” Welcome home, Coach! pic.twitter.com/AglGmon0jr
— South Fork Athletics (@SFAthletics) December 19, 2025
Kresser: ‘The goal is to be the last team standing’
In choosing his new destination, Kresser says that the school’s commitment to its program was a huge selling point.
“It’s a great fit for a starving football program that wants to be good,” Kresser said. “They’ve had a little downside the last few years, but the support has always been there. I’ve met the principal and the athletic director, and they want to have a good football program — and that’s what I’ve always wanted.”
Kresser says he already has several commitments from some of his former staff and is looking forward to getting to know some of the coaches already on staff.
“I’m excited about it,” Kresser said. “The goal is always the same. Build kids into men and send them off to college, and show them how to win, how to compete, teach them how to play the game. The plan is always the same. The goal is to be the last team standing at the end of the year.”
Kresser brings winning reputation from time at Benjamin
Kresser was Benjamin’s head coach for seven seasons (2017-2024) and was with the program for a decade.
In his time as Benjamin’s head coach, the Buccaneers were a combined 45-28.
Under Kresser, Benjamin reached the regional finals in 2021 and had five appearances in the regional semifinals. The Buccaneers had multiple eight- and nine-win seasons under the former professional quarterback.
His tenure at Benjamin ended alongside an exodus of football athletes, many of whom transferred to Cardinal Newman and played significant roles in the Crusaders’ Class 1A state championship run.
Kresser, an Ohio native who played high school football at Palm Beach Gardens, played for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League and Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League for five seasons. He was quarterback for the Florida Gators and Marshall University prior to that.
Kresser setting example for ‘how to live’ with passion in new home
Kresser’s family got the opportunity to spend a bit more time with him during his year-long break from high school coaching, leading to some “mixed emotions” from them when he decided to take the South Fork job.
“At the end of the day, you don’t live your life through your kids,” Kresser said. “You show your kids how to live. I’m going to keep following my passion and teach my kids to do the same thing, and we’ll make it work.”
That break from coaching high school came at the tail end of unforeseen circumstances at Benjamin, but Kresser is ready to move forward with his new home.
“I never wanted to stop coaching,” Kresser said. “It was unfortunate that there was a little break, but I never intended for that to happen. Things happen, and they did. But I’m back. We’re back, and we’re going to take South Fork to new heights.”
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Ex-Benjamin coach Eric Kresser pinned for South Fork football job
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