New cheerleading coach looks beyond the sidelines for cheerleading to stir school spirit
The University of West Alabama has announced the appointment of Donald Smith as coach of its cheerleading team. Smith assumed the graduate assistant position in August, having spent the last five years in coaching and game day strategy roles.
Smith was a member of the cheerleading teams at both East Mississippi Community College and Jacksonville State University. He has earned recognition multiple times from NCA College Cheerleading Nationals and from UCA College Cheerleading Nationals. He has served as a high school cheerleading judge for several years.
“I look forward to equipping the team with everything they need to have a great season,” Smith said. “Cheerleading teams do far more than cheer on the sidelines of athletic competitions. We want to build on the team spirit that exists on campus and look for new ways to grow that spirit. I place a strong emphasis on having a positive attitude along with respect, leadership, and loyalty, and we will build those while building athleticism, understanding and influencing safety, and promoting the sport of cheerleading.”
Smith earned a bachelor of science in child development from JSU and is a graduate of Billingsley High School in Alabama. He worked as a youth camp counselor with the City of Prattville for four years. At JSU, he was a youth cheer camp instructor, leading camps for elementary, middle school, and recreational age groups.
“Donald will shine as the cheer coach of UWA like he does in all aspects of his life,” said Amy Harbuck, who coached Smith at EMCC. “As an athlete, Donald was respectful, responsible, determined, and full of spirit, and I have no doubt he will be all of those things and more as a coach.”
In his role at UWA, Smith will be responsible for scheduling, practices, community involvement, and other logistics for the team. In his new role at UWA, Smith will serve the Office of Student Affairs in various capacities.
“Donald comes highly recommended,” said Will Atkinson, assistant to the vice president for student affairs. “We have no doubt that his enthusiasm and experience will elevate this program to even greater heights, and we are excited to welcome Donald to the UWA family.”
For 185 years, the University of West Alabama has served the educational needs of the state, and particularly the Black Belt region of Alabama. The University values a diverse student enrollment, with students from throughout the U.S. and abroad. To learn more about UWA, visit www.uwa.edu.
