Coach of the Month

Lisa Vandiver, Community Coach
East Coweta High School
Sharpsburg, Georgia

Lisa Vandiver’s role with East Coweta High School is as a volunteer. She is a certified Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Community Coach completing the Principles of Coaching and Sports First Aid courses, then re-qualifying annually at the GHSA Rules Clinic.

In addition, Coach Vandiver, a vice president for BB&T (Branch Banking and Trust Company), maintains her certification as a GHSA Cheerleading Judge. Neither of these positions is assigned a stipend.

In 2003, the EC Region 4 AAAAA Coed Competition cheerleaders qualified for state sectionals for the first time in the school’s history. Working with head coach Cynthia Bennett, Coach Vandiver, since 2004, has taken the lead competition cheerleading coach role for East Coweta H.S. Vandiver has coached them to top 10 finishes at the state finals each year. After first place invitational finishes, the 2007 season ended with a tie for 5th in this increasingly competitive sport.

The level of commitment Coach Vandiver has made to the success of the ECHS cheer program for the past five years is significant. She is very involved with every aspect of the program from spring tryouts through football and basketball seasons to the end of year celebration. She has used her personal vacation time for summer camp and summer practices. She dedicates evening hours during the competition season for weekly practices, and is on the sidelines of every varsity football game.

Coach Vandiver’s professionalism has made a masterful working relationship with all three faculty coaches for East Coweta’s three-squad cheerleading program.

According to Bennett, “The growth and successes in the school’s cheer program would not have been possible without Lisa’s consistent interest and support. She is a natural-born coach with the skills to assess an athlete’s skill level and motivate top performance.”

In spring of 2007, Coach Vandiver proposed a leadership program with the seniors in the ECHS cheer program. Using her training as a corporate leader she launched and facilitated a student focused program reaching for the leadership skills and responsibility of every senior, not just captains.

Coach Vandiver, a long time resident of Coweta County, is supported in her professional career and community work by her husband Bill Vandiver and her two daughters Autumn (a college junior) and Hunter (a high school junior).

Photo: Lisa Vandiver (top row, third from the right, blue shirt) pictured with the 2008 senior competition cheerleaders.

NCSA has partnered with Coach and Athletic Director Magazine to recognize outstanding high school coaches. Tell us why your coach should be the Coach & Athletic Director High School Coach of the Month by nominating him/her online at http://www.scholastic.com/coach/cotm.asp. High school coaches will be recognized by NCSA and Coach and Athletic Director Magazine throughout the year.