After founding the Plantation Heat Track club and serving as coach of the team, Dawn Spann, wanted to move into a different direction. She served as the boys coach at South Plantation High School as well as a local official, but she wanted to become a girls head coach. Little did Spann know that the opportunity would be at her alma mater, Boyd Anderson, a girls program that has been a recent juggernaut, winning a state championship in 2012. She says it feels good to be back at BA, but it's a bit surreal and overwhelming at the same time.
"Never would I have thought I would be in this position as the past seven to eight years Duchane and Damion Thomas have done a phenomenal job in building this program. Believe me I know those are big shoes to fill. Honestly I am not looking to fill them, but continue in keeping the Boyd Anderson tradition going. Being a Cobra and knowing what this school meant to me and allowed me to experience, truly is one reason I returned."
Being around the area has also allowed her to build a familiarity with the female runners in the community. Spann felt that it would be easier on the girls and their families to know someone who has been around the program the past couple years would be at the helm might help ease their concerns and make the transition easier.
"I did not want them to feel all the hard work they have worked towards in the past couple years would be for nothing as a new coach may not be as informed. The one plus I have is that I do understand what they have worked for on and off the track and want to make it as less a transition as possible with me as the new head coach."
Being around the area has also allowed her to build a familiarity with the female runners in the community. Spann felt that it would be easier on the girls and their families to know someone who has been around the program the past couple years would be at the helm might help ease their concerns and make the transition easier.
"I did not want them to feel all the hard work they have worked towards in the past couple years would be for nothing as a new coach may not be as informed. The one plus I have is that I do understand what they have worked for on and off the track and want to make it as less a transition as possible with me as the new head coach."
Spann loses one of the top sprinters in the nation in Kali Davis-White who will head to FSU for her freshman season, but she is optimistic about what the future holds. Hurdler Daeshon Gordon is the base of a strong foundation of returning Cobras. The new coach says she is looking forward to the future of Boyd Anderson in the coming years and not only helping these young ladies in track and field, but in life.
"I look forward to being the positive role model for these athletes and continuing to hold the respect we have as representing Boyd Anderson. It touches my heart that I will be able to share my good and bad experiences with the upcoming groups of young ladies and mentoring them into adulthood both on and off the track."
"I look forward to being the positive role model for these athletes and continuing to hold the respect we have as representing Boyd Anderson. It touches my heart that I will be able to share my good and bad experiences with the upcoming groups of young ladies and mentoring them into adulthood both on and off the track."