Jerrial Dawson, assistant boys basketball coach and ninth grade principal at Starkville High School, has been selected to participate in the 2024-2025 class of the Mississippi Excellence in Coaching Fellowship.
Known as “Tomorrow’s 25,” the fellowship is an innovative professional development opportunity for coaches presented by the Mississippi Association of Coaches, the Mississippi High School Activities Association and the University of Mississippi School of Education.
Dawson’s selection was finalized in early August, and the group of 25 coaching professionals from around the state will gather for 15 meetings both virtually and in person over the next year.
“We will all be growing together,” said Dawson. “I’m a continuous learner, and being able to learn from other coaches is so valuable, as well as being able to share your wisdom. It’s called ‘Tomorrow’s 25,’ so it’s a young group. I’m blessed to be one of the more seasoned members, and I’m looking forward to reaching out to answer questions and ask them too. It’s a fellowship, so the relationship aspect is so important.”
The mission of the Mississippi Excellence in Coaching Fellowship is to invest each year in 25 emerging leaders from across the state in the area of high school and middle school athletics. The program specifically targets candidates who have demonstrated the capacity to be leaders in the field. The fellowship focuses on providing professional development and resources to promote coaching the “whole athlete,” with an emphasis on leadership, resilience, empathy and responsibility.
“I am very proud of Dr. Dawson for being selected as part of this prestigious coaching fellowship,” said SOCSD Superintendent Tony McGee. “His career as a coach and in school administration has positioned him as a leader across the state on both the court and in the regular school environment. He has been a huge asset to our district since joining our team and will be a worthy role model for other coaches.”
Dawson joined the SHS administrative team and the Jacket Athletics staff in July. In addition to serving as assistant coach for boys basketball alongside Head Coach Anthony Carlyle, Dawson also serves as the SHS Assistant Principal for ninth grade, a role in which he is tasked with shepherding a freshman class of more than 370 students.
He brings more than six years of head coaching experience to Starkville as well as administrative experience, and he looks forward to supporting head coach Anthony Carlyle, whom he’s known for a number of years. Carlyle and Dawson have served in similar size schools and roles at the same time over the years, and Dawson shared that they were able to develop a mutual relationship of sharing advice and encouragement.
“I love being able to assist,” he said. “The best leaders are great followers. You want to be able to lean on somebody and get advice. So I serve as a blessing for him, but he’s also a blessing for me. We have always talked throughout my coaching career. Even when I became an administrator and let coaching go, he was an administrator too. We’ve just always talked and were able to grow each other.”
When he thinks about balancing coaching and administration, and what that experience will bring to young coaching leaders across the state, Dawson has a unique perspective.
“The need for educator coaches goes a long way,” he said. “I think back over 10 years when I got into the profession, it was all about sports for me. But, that changes very quickly when you see what you’re able to do not just on the court or on the field, but in other students’ lives. A lot of young coaches want to learn how to become a better coach. I’m here to tell you, the better you build yourself as an educator, you’ll become a better coach.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
