Dallas ISD coaches prepare for upcoming school year
Dallas ISD’s Athletics Department fired up their approximately 750 coaches, trainers, and various team members at their annual back-to-school event at Skyline High School last week. 
“Meeting with all the coaches to kick off the year provides us with a great opportunity to connect and share as an entire team our goals and initiatives for the upcoming year,” said Vince Reyes, assistant director of Athletics. According to Reyes, the theme for this year is Play BIG Dallas.
“For all coaches to hear at the same time the expectations on how we all need to step up and Play BIG is exciting,” he said.
Athletics provided workshops for UIL sports that are offered, said Cinnamon Sheffield, assistant director of Athletics over volleyball, track and field, and compliance and eligibility. The workshops were mostly led by the district’s veteran coaches and a few alumni and coaches from the area.
“We had great positive feedback from the coaches,” she said.
The sessions included how to improve as a coach, what to do in off-season strength conditioning, and other topics. Theyalso heard from veteran coaches on how to progress in the profession.
Among the guest speakers and panelists were members of school leadership, UIL representatives, and Dallas ISD departments, such as media relations and the police department, which presented on safety and security at venues.
Cedrick Patterson, the new assistant director of Athletics over boys and girls basketball and baseball, said one of the things he was most looking forward to this school year was being an advocate for student athletes in basketball and baseball.
One of the breakout sessions for basketball included a presentation by one of the high school girls coaches as well as the head basketball coach from SMU.
Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde closed the event by sharing some encouraging words to those who motivate others. For more information about the district’s Athletics Department, visit https://www.dallasisd.org/athletics.
