We, the undersigned, support Coach Eddie Adams and seek to see him remain employed as the swim coach for Lufkin Independent School District. We call on the Lufkin Independent School District to:

1) renew the contract of Coach Eddie Adams; and 
2) publicly meet with swimmers and parents to discuss the future of the swim program.

Coach Eddie Adams is a positive influence in the lives of many Lufkin youth. He is a role model, father figure, and winning swim coach.  Coach Adams works for the benefit of all swim participants and is especially inclusive of students typically overlooked in swim programs.  He works to grow the program and ensure all are welcomed.  In his time as a servant to Texas public schools, Coach Adams has won seven state swimming championships.  This year, for the first time in district history, he took two Lufkin High School swimming and diving team members to state.  His approach is one of high expectations matched with the coaching and encouragement for every swimmer to be supported as they work towards improving and achieving–in the pool and in other endeavors.

Small and rural school districts struggle to recruit and retain effective and trained personnel. Coach Adams is both.  Since completing his collegiate swim career, he has coached for 39 years. Coach Adams has trained an olympic swimmer, is known nationally for his swimming accomplishments and is on the board of USA Swimming, which governs swimming from youth leagues to the olympics.  Over his career, hundreds of his students have gone on to swim at the collegiate level.  He devotes his evenings to the community swim program and encourages youth across our community to engage in a healthy lifestyle through swimming.  Eddie is the positive, caring adult our youth need.

As a Texas Education Agency task force currently focuses on how to retain qualified personnel in school districts across the state, we are in support of keeping one of our state’s most qualified swim coaches here at Lufkin Independent School District.  Please sign this petition to express your support of Coach Adams and the Lufkin ISD swim program.