At Westwood High School, Coach Garrett Knight serves as a dynamic athletic director, blending a commitment to sports excellence with a focus on academic achievement. His leadership fosters growth and accountability among student-athletes, creating a culture where success in both athletics and education is prioritized. This article explores his life-changing vision for the program.
Coach Knight is driven by a singular vision: to foster growth across every sports program. His commitment to improvement is evident in the strides made by teams, particularly in their performance metrics.
“I want to see every single program succeed,” he emphasizes. “Take our football team; they only won one game last year, while right now they are three and two.” This focus on development reflects Knight’s philosophy and inspires hope within the athletic community.
Despite his dedication, Coach Knight acknowledges that his role comes with challenges. One significant hurdle is the unpredictability of logistics.
“There are a lot of moving parts,” he explains. For instance, today the weather—that can really affect logistics.”
He continues, “You plan months in advance, like who’s working at the games and what time buses have to leave. If something like the weather changes, you have to adapt.” Knight’s ability to communicate effectively in such situations showcases his resilience and commitment.
Knight is steadfast in his belief that academics must come first for student-athletes. To uphold this principle, he introduced a new initiative called Red Hawk 101. “
We implemented Red Hawk 101 this year,” he shares. “We pull grades every Friday, and any student who’s failing has to come to Red Hawk 101.”This program offers students two sessions a week to focus on improving grades and making up assignments.
Knight emphasizes accountability: “If they skip Redd Hawk 101 or continue to fail classes, they lose their playtime.”
This proactive approach fosters a culture where education is prioritized alongside athletic excellence.
Ako Taylor, a Varsity linebacker and nominee for the Richland County Player of the Year, shared his appreciation for Coach Knight’s mentoring. Taylor noted, “One thing I appreciate is how energetic he is. He always knows how to make an athlete feel good and important.”
This reflects not just Taylor’s experience but the ultimate impact of Coach Knight’s reliability and support, fostering a positive environment where student-athletes can thrive both on and off the field.
Destiny Omeire, a basketball player at Westwood High School, shared her thoughts on Coach Knight’s vision for the athletic program. She said, ” Coach Knight really gets what we need as student-athletes. He’s all about helping us get noticed and making sure we have the exposure we need to move up to the next level.
Whether it’s reposting our highlights on Twitter or giving us tips on how to email college coaches, he’s always there for us. He even encourages us to take weightlifting classes to impress recruiters, and he keeps it real about our academics, which is something we really need!”
Destiny’s words show just how much Coach Knight supports and believes in the athletes at Westwood.
Coach Knight’s dedication goes beyond coaching; he makes an environment where student-athletes can express themselves. His ongoing support and positive attitude inspire growth. It’s clear that Coach Knight’s influence will leave a lasting legacy in the athletes lives.