Kathleen coach LeDarius Haggins is up for the Best High School Coach Award, a branch of the Neighborhood Awards. We talked to him to find out how he was nominated, what the award would mean to him. Winners will be announced on August 8th and we wish coach Haggins the best of luck!
How does one get nominated for this award?
You're nominated for best high school coach by people casting nominations for an individual during the duration of the day until 6pm eastern. Once all the votes are tallied they take the top four nominees and come back so people can vote for them.
What's it mean to be nominated?
It means a lot because you never know who's watching what you're doing for and with the student/athletes.
This award is about the hometown heroes. What are you most proud of that you've done for the city of Lakeland?
Yes, I would say it's about the hometown heroes. I really don't talk about what I've done, I'm doing, or what I'm going to do for the youth because I feel it's was my calling to do what God has commanded me to do. I just give back to the youth what I really didn't have growing up. I'm born and raised in Lakeland so it's a must I give back. I am mostly just proud to be able to do what I'm doing.
You've won numerous coaching accolades, but what would it mean to win this award?
I have won several accolades as a coach and I owe it to the athletes that I've coached and am coaching now. Bringing Kathleen High School to the competitive level that we are on now speaks volume of the hard work these kids have bought into and them trusting and buying into my philosophy.
Some of my proudest moments are winning the state relay for the first time in school history, being regional runner-up in 2011, winning the district 4 of the 6 years being here and being name coach of the year in the county at the same time. But most of all, recently winning the region this past year for the first time in school history was big.
I'm not sure what exactly the winner receives because this is my first rodeo! If I win, it would mean a great deal to me and for the community of Lakeland. It shows that there are people who admire what I do here and it's not just the people here, it's people who were born or from here that follow what I do.