Craig Littlepage, director of athletics at the University of Virginia and chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, headlines the Black Coaches Association’s lineup of annual award recipients.

Littlepage, who earned BCA administrator of the year honors for the second time in three years, is joined by John Thompson III, head men’s basketball coach at Georgetown University, and Shann Hart, head women’s basketball coach at Indiana University/Purdue University-Indianapolis, who were named as male and female coaches of the year, respectively. In addition, Ted Ginn Sr., head football coach at Glenville (Ohio) High School since 1997, was chosen as the BCA high school coach of the year.

Award recipients will be honored at a June 2 awards banquet during the BCA national convention and expo in Miami May 31 through June 3.

Littlepage was the first African-American athletics director in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 2005, he was recognized as one of the “most powerful African Americans in sports” by Black Enterprise magazine. Littlepage also was the BCA’s administrator of the year in 2003.

IUPUI’s Hart, the 2006 Mid-Continent Coach of the Year, engineered one of the best turnarounds among Division I programs this year, leading the Jaguars to a 17-11 overall record and 11-5 in league competition. Under Hart’s leadership, IUPUI had more overall and conference victories this year than the previous two campaigns combined.

Thompson, the BCA’s pick as the Fritz Pollard BCA Male Coach of the Year, which is sponsored annually by Brown University, led the Hoyas to a 23-10 overall record and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA tournament this season as well as year-end ranking of 16th in the country.

Said Floyd Keith, executive director of the BCA, “Our honorees are not just successful professionals, but they are also outstanding people. Our membership has chosen well.”

Division III program can teach old dog new kicks

If there’s ever a question about how late is too late to take on new challenges, the answer may be never, at least according to Derek Godwin, the newly selected head men’s and women’s soccer coach at Louisiana College. At 69, he is possibly the oldest rookie coach in college soccer.

To be clear, Godwin is not new to the sport. He entered the coaching ranks after completing a 15-year semi-pro playing career in England and qualifying as an English Advanced Coach in 1968. Godwin has coached at different levels in various countries since 1972. At age 61, he qualified for a United States Soccer Federation “A” license and has been coaching at the club and state levels in Virginia and Louisiana since.

“You are never too late to take on a new challenge,” said Godwin.

Godwin takes over a program that has been struggling. “Players are going to have to realize that coaches don’t have magic wands,” he said upon being hired in March. “We have to establish a good work ethic and get players to realize what the game demands to be a good program. Once the foundation of hard work, professionalism, and getting players to realize what the game demands, we will grow into a good team.”

Instructional soccer video puts fun into perspective

US Youth Soccer recently released the second in a series of instructional youth soccer DVDs to help administrators, coaches, parents and others encourage players to have fun in youth sports.

Called “Positive Parenting for Youth Soccer,” the DVD provides perspectives from players, referees and coaches on topics that include why children play, sportsmanship by example, supportive parenting techniques, developing vs. winning, red cards for parents, players’ emotional needs, and keeping the appropriate perspective. 

“Positive Parenting addresses behavior and supportive techniques to enhance players’ enjoyment of the game,” said US Youth Soccer President David Messersmith. “The DVD is reasonably priced so it can be used by everyone, and we believe it to be an asset to those working with our youth players.”

For more information about the DVD, go to USYouthSoccer.org.