Atheltic Spotlight: Coach Kenny Epps

We sat down with Athletic Director Kenny Epps (2004) to reflect on his future aspirations for MDS athletics.

How do you approach coaching young people?

I focus on building relationships. We’re in a time where there needs to be a ‘why’ behind everything. It’s about teaching as much as it is coaching. And overall, I think the most important aspect of coaching is building relationships. I believe if you focus on that, your players will do almost anything for you. It’s necessary to build those relationships and that will ultimately lead to your success and theirs.

How important is it for you to serve as both a coach and a teacher?

It really ties back to that relationship building piece. During my first year of coaching, I was not teaching and it made it hard to show up at 3:15, ready to play and build those relationships I needed to have, without time off the field. I think it’s important; it allows you to see your players in a different environment and I think that helps to get to know them better and for them to get to know you in a different element is important too. But I think to see them all the time, to see them on campus ties into that relationship building further.

How has it been going with Georgia Independent Athletic Association?

There is always a transition period when you make big changes, but what I’ve enjoyed most about this shift has been to get back to the old gyms we used to play over seven years ago. There’s an energy that’s different because of the crowds these old gyms bring in and the old rivalries, especially on the basketball courts. It’s been fun to watch.

This spring, the students competed against the faculty in a basketball game, and the victory went to the faculty.

What are some of the changes we may see next school year for athletics?

We are continuing to build the culture out further for MDS athletics. We want to get to a point where the expectation of students is to be successful. What I think is most important is to support and build up Mount de Sales student athletes in whatever way I can. Different people will approach this job in different ways, but the way I approach it is to celebrate Mount de Sales student athletes.

What I’m also most excited about is that we have a core group of young athletes coming from the middle school and ninth grade that I’m really excited to see grow over the next couple of years and see what they bring to our varsity athletic program.

How has this role as athletic director changed you and what lessons have you learned?

I think the shift from a micro to macro mindset has been a big change. As a coach, you have the perspective of a micro mindset to focus on your sport and your respective athletes, but now, I have to have the macro mindset to oversee fourteen different sports with over 350 student athletes participating in the program. It forces me to go out and build more relationships and to figure out ways for those students to create relationships outside of their own sport, team, or friend group, and focus more on athletes supporting athletes at MDS.

A piece of advice I was given when moving to this role is that most of what comes across your desk is going to be ‘negative and when people aren’t happy.’ That has been a transition for me to get used to, but I challenge our students to get out of their comfort zones and this role has forced me to do the same. I’m normally a behind the scenes person and this job has challenged me to grow.

What are some of the projects your students work on in your classes? Do you have a favorite?

We have a variety of topics for projects in my classes. We create various programs to make tasks easier to manage or to serve as entertainment in Programming, we use Photoshop to edit pictures and create something new in Digital Tech, and 3D design of various tools and objects in AutoCAD. I would have to say, for me, that AutoCAD projects tend to be more fun. The 3D projects we create can be 3D printed and something about creating something on a computer and being able to print it out and physically hold something you spent time creating is just really rewarding.

What is AutoCAD and why is it important?

AutoCAD is a 3D design program, CAD stands for Computer Assisted Design. Using something like AutoCAD makes creating 3D objects, blueprints, and landscape architecture easier to manage. Granted we use it mostly for tool and object designs. AutoCAD is important because it can give a glimpse at engineering. Many engineers will use CAD programs for various design projects in their jobs. Having an initial knowledge and understanding of CAD before you get to college can help immensely. I feel like it gives you just a little extra leg up.

You’re one of our coaches for the MDS wrestling team. What have you learned about your students both in the classroom and on the mat?

I think one of the biggest things I have learned is that no two students or athletes learn the same way. Nor do they necessarily have similar strengths and weaknesses. So finding new ways of being patient and willing to try and approach a similar obstacle from different angles becomes essential with teaching and coaching.

What were you like as a student?

I was outgoing, but definitely on the quieter side. I had moved a lot growing up so I always kind of felt like an outsider in schools, but both academics and sports were very important to me and my future goals.

What

inspired you to teach and what keeps you teaching at Mount de Sales?

Life has an interesting way of challenging you in ways you didn’t know it would. Honestly when I got out of college, teaching wasn’t really on my radar initially. I had already been assisting with coaching wrestling for several years at MDS and the opportunity to teach and continue coaching opened up and I jumped on it. I would say getting to coach and be a part of the sport of wrestling as well as interacting with and being able to witness the growth of students both keep me teaching.