By Kadey Heidrich
Pasadena ISD Communications
Georgia Edwards, the Girls’ Basketball coach at Sam Rayburn High School, was recently selected as the District 22 6A Coach of the Year.
Edwards was chosen for the award by her fellow basketball coaches in District 22.
“I didn’t expect to win Coach of the Year. I was surprised to be selected,” said Edwards. “This is the first year I can remember that a coach has been selected for this award not based only on the number of wins in a season, but for the amount of work they did with their team.”
Although the Lady Texans may not have had the most game wins this season, Edwards remains proud of their accomplishments.
“We had a really good season this year and almost made the playoffs,” said Edwards. “They were faced with the obstacles of being a young team, COVID and just not having a lot of playing time. It took more hard work on our part to become competitive than it may have taken others. I’m proud of my team for the obstacles they overcame and I believe everyone could see how much they improved.”
Whether on or off the basketball court, Edwards is dedicated to helping her players succeed.
“My role as the Girls’ Basketball coach at Rayburn has been different compared to my other coaching positions,” said Edwards. “In this position, I do a lot off the court. I would say that 95 percent of the things my players come to me with have nothing to do with basketball.”
A former social worker, Edwards provides her players with resources to help set them up for success and build self-esteem. She has incorporated resources like Communities in Schools as part of the basketball program, along with lessons about various topics including relationship building and conflict resolution.
“As a coach, I try to develop a deeper connection with the team than just basketball,” said Edwards. “I try to provide them with information and build their self-esteem. After they have graduated high school and are finished with basketball, I want for them to leave having become strong young women because of their experiences here.”
While this may be Edwards’ first time receiving Coach of the Year, she is no stranger to basketball, having grown up playing the sport. After graduating from high school, she attended the University of Missouri Kansas City on a basketball scholarship. She went on to coach the sport in some capacity for the next 30 years and has served as the Girls’ Basketball coach at Rayburn for the past seven years.