The 2019-20 school year was Amanda Pittman’s first year as the Athletic Director at South Cobb High School. She has been in Education for 10 years. Prior to South Cobb, she was a teacher and an assistant principal at Osborne High School. She is a service-minded individual that is always looking for ways to help others succeed. We asked for her thoughts about her new role and here is what she had to say.

“Being an AD is honestly the best job in any school, hands down,” she said. “I find value in providing opportunities for students to make memories and build life-long friendships whether that’s through a sports team, the marching band, or in the stands cheering for one of our teams!”

“There are so many days that I look back and smile,” she continued. “I am proud of the success of our student athletes, the way our coaches, admin, and staff come together to make things happen, and the number of parents we had in our corner cheering on our kids. It’s all part of what I love about athletics.”

Amanda got started in Education after realizing that her initial choice was not a good fit. “I originally thought I wanted to be a flight nurse,” she said, “but after a semester-long internship in the hospital I soon realized that I wasn’t cut out for the medical field. I changed my major to Biology Education, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I can’t see myself in any other field.”

She credits another best decision to getting married to her husband, Derek. “He’s a constant source of encouragement,” she said, “and always reminds me to slow down, which is something I need often with my ‘go-go-go’ mentality.”

Other individuals have been sources of inspiration for her as well. “Lisa Moore Williams, Brandon Mann, Sheldon Bullock, and Josh Morreale at Osborne were very influential and helpful during my time there. They all supported and mentored me and opened a lot of doors for me,” she said.

Chuck Stines, former South Cobb AD and legendary football coach at Pebblebrook, also helped Amanda immensely. “He has been a mentor throughout my first year and I have called him on multiple occasions with questions or for advice,” she said gratefully. “One thing I value about Chuck is that he tells it like it is and he can always see the big picture.”

The big picture for Amanda is simple and it’s why she does what she does. “The reason why I’m in Education is to impact the lives of young adults in a positive way and to help them see their potential,” she said. And she believes sports are a great way to help effect a positive change.

“I love that athletics teaches things that can’t easily be learned in the classroom: teamwork, grit, resiliency, hard work. But those lessons do translate back into the classroom. I truly believe that being part of a team makes athletes better students and classmates.”

Amanda appreciates all the hard work that came before her and she wants to keep paying it forward. “Every coach at South Cobb comes together for one purpose: to ensure that our students have the best high school experience, inside and outside the classroom,” she said proudly. “Our coaching staff is like a family and they build one another up and support each other, as well as the athletes.”

“Another thing that I am proud of is the community surrounding South Cobb,” she said. “Being a South Cobb graduate myself it’s really neat to see so many other alumni coming back and supporting the school. We have alumni who coach, alumni who teach, and alumni who show up at every single home game. It is so encouraging to see many parents and community members completely invested in our school and our students. That’s what it’s all about.”

QUICK-HITTER QUESTIONS:
Favorite food? Mexican
Favorite vacation or travel spot? The beach
Hidden talent? ??? (Yes, she answered with three question marks. It may not be a hidden talent, but Amanda is THE social media cheerleader for the Eagles. She usually has scores posted before anyone else. 😃)
Morning person or night owl? Morning person
First job? Babysitting kids in my neighborhood.
What other profession would you like to attempt? Surgeon. I really can’t do blood and guts, but if I could I think it’d be a really cool job!