Jenkins Named Riverwood's 2016 Coach of the Year

From Riverwood International Charter School:

The Riverwood Athletic Association (RAA) hosted their first annual RAA Coaches Dinner & Awards Presentation on September 21st at Heritage Sandy Springs. The goal of this inaugural event was to honor and recognize Riverwood coaches for years of service to the school, and to present the 2016 Coach of the Year Award.

The 2016 Coach of the Year award was presented to Buck Jenkins, the Riverwood Boys Varsity Basketball coach. Coach Jenkins received this recognition for outstanding service and dedication in mentoring and developing the character of student athletes, and for improving the Riverwood community. In 2016, Jenkins led the Boys Varsity Basketball team to the 7 AAAAA Region Championship and the State Elite Eight tournament.

Service Awards were presented to 16 Riverwood coaches serving five or more years. Two coaches, Leigh Hudson and Issac Seals, received the most distinguished service honor, the 25 Year Service Award for coaching. Coach Hudson has been a critical part of the Raider coaching staff since 1991, leading an array of both Boys and Girls teams. In the fall of 2013, Coach Hudson was inducted into the Riverwood Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of her vital role in shaping so many student athletes throughout her tenure at Riverwood. Coach Seals has coached at Riverwood since 1990 serving primarily as the Cross Country and Track & Field Coach. He was inducted into the Riverwood Hall of Fame in 2014 and has been awarded Fulton County Coach of the Year for numerous years.

In addition to recognizing coaches for their years of dedicated service to Riverwood, the evening included a presentation by former NFL football player and best-selling author, Joe Ehrmann. Ehrmann, a longtime member of the Baltimore Colts organization, is co-founder of Coach for America which promotes InSideOut Coaching, a nationwide coaching and leadership program. In his remarks, Ehrmann acknowledged the unique role and the tremendous impact high school coaches have on student-athletes. He encouraged the teachers and coaches in the audience to take on the challenge of becoming “transformational” leaders instead of merely “transactional” coaches. Ehrmann’s message both inspired and renewed the Riverwood coaches, from the newest to the most seasoned veterans. Each coach received a signed copy of Ehrmann’s book, InSideOut Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives.

The Riverwood Athletic Association sponsored this inaugural event and was honored to have Ehrmann as the featured speaker. The RAA provides funds, volunteer services, and promotes the fullest possible participation of the Riverwood community in its athletic events and programs. As the school’s only athletic booster club providing support for sports programs, the RAA is the financial backbone for all athletic programs at Riverwood.

Photo 1 : 2016 Riverwood Coach of the Year, Buck Jenkins, with former NFL player and best-selling author, Joe Ehrmann. Jenkins is the Riverwood Boys Varsity Basketball Coach.

Photo 2: Riverwood Athletic Association member, Alan Owens, presenting the 25 Year Coaching Service Award to Isaac Seals, Riverwood Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach.

Images via Riverwood International Charter School.