疯客直播

Katasha Turner continues a unique tradition at 疯客直播 High School.

Turner is a first-year Athletic Director at 疯客直播 High School, a high-profile position not usually held by women. Turner succeeded Christopher Raymond, who left to become head football coach at LeFlore High School. Two of the last three 疯客直播 High Athletic Directors (AD) have been women.

鈥淚t feels聽different,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淏ut in today鈥檚聽time, there is a shift. A football coach or male does聽not always have to be the AD.聽 Women are known to get the job done at hand.鈥�

Three years ago, Melissa White served as 疯客直播 High鈥檚 AD from 2016 to 2017. Raymond succeeded White.

疯客直播 Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams said she鈥檚 impressed with Turner鈥檚 academic and athletic background.

鈥淐oach Turner came with a lot of fresh ideas to improve our athletic program,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淪he brought a lot of ideas for parents to get involved. She has a lot of fresh ideas that I鈥檓 excited about. 聽She鈥檚 an athlete, a coach and has great time management skills.鈥�

疯客直播 City School Board President Johnny Moss III has faith Turner will fare well as 疯客直播 High鈥檚 AD.

鈥淐oach Turner will do a great job,鈥� Moss said.

Turner sees bigger obstacles than her gender in her new role.

鈥淚t聽is a聽challenge聽because I 聽 have to look 聽 at sports as more than聽just my team but the聽聽 entire聽Athletic Department,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淚ts more 聽 than just聽聽 eligibility it聽聽 is fundraising, being an advocate for the coaches and聽聽 support聽for the student聽聽 athletes.聽聽 It is added pressure because聽聽 I am聽聽 not just聽聽 dealing聽聽 with my own teams聽聽 that聽I been coaching for four seasons, but again聽聽 all聽聽 sports and 聽 show them the support聽聽 as well.鈥�

For Turner, coaching track, volleyball and being AD all at once also provides a huge challenge.

鈥淚 聽 wear many hats,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淏eing a聽female聽聽聽 coach I have always聽had to juggle two to three sports in a聽year due to聽聽 reaching at some聽聽 financial equality聽of male聽聽 coaches.聽聽 I have聽聽 coached聽聽聽 basketball and softball too.鈥�

Turner admits she has a favorite sport to coach.

鈥淢y favorite聽is聽聽 track and聽field聽聽聽 but聽聽 being 聽 raised around聽聽 track, that鈥檚聽all I knew,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淏ut I loved being adopted by volleyball. I walked into the gym as an assistant coach. By 聽 the end聽of the summer,聽because聽聽 of the聽coach鈥檚 pregnancy, I聽ended up becoming聽聽 the head 聽 coach. I聽literally聽had to be a student聽of the game.鈥�

Turner said track and volleyball each provide the same objective.

鈥淭rack and volleyball both聽offer different ways to win, but their common goal is聽winning,鈥� Turner said.

Turner鈥檚 road to the Queen City began in her hometown of Tyler, Texas. Turner was raised in St. Louis and Rockford, Illinois. She found her way to Alabama State University (ASU) and earned a degree in Physical Education. 聽She achieved a master鈥檚 degree in Athletic Administration at the University of Concordia-Irvine.

Turner said her upbringing prepared her for a bright future in sports administration.

鈥淢y聽experience 聽 in聽聽 playing as聽a student-聽 athlete, being a student聽聽 athletic 聽 trainer in聽聽 college, coaching 聽 several sports, graduate school and聽being a part of聽聽 the NIAAA and聽聽 Advancing聽Academy聽聽聽 both聽聽 have聽聽 assisted with聽聽 me with the聽development聽聽聽 of聽聽 understanding聽聽 and聽聽 ways聽聽 to 聽聽build聽and move a program forward,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淓specially聽聽 Advancing Academy, which聽聽 has聽聽 allowed me to meet and connect聽聽 with a well-rounded聽group of women from the聽聽 interscholastic to聽聽 collegiate聽聽 level as well as 聽 聽 branding聽聽 consultants; it is a聽聽 phenomenal聽聽 experience.鈥�

 

Turner built a name for herself as track coach at Pike County High School, Enterprise High and Carroll High. Turner coached Clarke County to an appearance in the Elite Eight round of the AHSAA volleyball tournament.

Four years ago, Turner was named softball and volleyball coach at Concordia College Alabama (CCA). She was also an assistant basketball coach, helping CCA win a national championship in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) during the 2015-16 season. The job didn鈥檛 last because CCA eventually closed down and Turner ended up at 疯客直播.

Turner said she鈥檚 looking forward to running the Saints鈥� Athletic Department for years to come.

鈥淚聽am 聽 excited聽 聽 about this 聽 opportunity to聽 聽 help聽聽 student athletes聽 聽 excel on the聽聽 playing聽聽聽 area聽 聽 as well聽聽 as the community and 聽 class,鈥� Turner said.

Turner has a vision for 疯客直播 High athletics.

鈥淭he 聽 ultimate聽goal is聽聽聽 for聽 聽 疯客直播聽聽 to not聽only compete at聽a high level but to 聽 look and聽聽 have our own聽 聽 facilities,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淭he other goal is bringing聽back our spirit and pride for聽the city聽聽 of 疯客直播.聽聽 This聽聽 includes 聽 building聽聽 our feeder programs, improving聽our聽聽 student athletic聽聽 academic achievement聽and ACT scores in order for聽聽 the聽聽 opportunity to be recruited and increase聽聽 attendance to all聽聽 athletic聽聽 events.鈥�