The Texas Girls Coaches Association recently named William Daugherty, the cheer coach at Smithson Valley Middle School, as the first recipient of the 5A-6A Cheerleading Middle School Coach of the Year for the 2019-2020 school year.
“I am truly honored and humbled to be selected as the first recipient of the TGCA 5A-6A Middle School Cheer Coach of the Year,” said Daugherty, who has been teaching math and coaching the cheer team at SVMS for 14 years. “I am still in awe to have even been nominated for this honor. I share it with my family for putting up with how involved I have been in cheer for over 20 years; the administration at SVMS for trusting me to run the program for the past 14 years; the athletes and parents who supported me and became members of the SVMS Cheer Family; the colleagues who shared ideas with me; and my mentors who helped mold me into the coach I am today. I share the credit with this ‘team’ as it would not have been possible without them.”
With a total of 17 years of teaching and coaching experience, Coach D, as his students call him, teaches more than tumbles, stunts, pyramids and the basics of cheer. He also teaches perseverance, teamwork and many life lessons.
“I hope my athletes carry with them the memories they made together throughout their membership in SVMS Cheer,” he said. “Not only do I want to train and improve the physical skills of each athlete, but I want each individual to learn how to be successful and contributing members of their family, school, community and every aspect of life. One of my main goals with the program is to provide opportunities for my athletes to learn life lessons.”
Through the years, Daugherty and his teams have received many awards including winning a few titles at CheerPower Nationals; placing second at the National Cheerleaders Association finals in Dallas two years ago; assisting the Smithson Valley High School Freshman team win first place at this year’s NCA Nationals; and winning back-to-back NCA National Titles.
While cheer has been a part of his life from a young age, Daugherty knew in elementary school that teaching would be his career.
“I developed a passion for teaching in high school,” he said, “and I appreciated the impact my teachers had on me and how my life changed due to their dedication.”
Today, Daugherty is doing the same for his students.
Congratulations, Coach!
-Smithson Valley Middle School teacher and coach, William Daugherty, was named 5A-6A Cheerleading Middle School Coach of the Year 2019-2020 by the Texas Girls Coaches Association on June 3.