Matt Williams is the Athletic Director at North Cobb High School. He has been in education for a total of 23 years, serving 21 of those at North Cobb. He has been the AD there for the last three years. He is a competitive sports fanatic that got into education because of the influence that coaches and educators had on him. We asked him a few questions about his job, his life, and his family, and here is what he had to say.

“I have such a passion for this community,” he said. “I love meeting and building lasting relationships with coaches and community members. I’m fortunate to get to see all the amazing things that happen at North Cobb. I truly want North Cobb to be a positive reflection of what our community has to offer.”

As an athlete and a coach, Matt recognizes the value of sports to the education process. “There are many life lessons that can be taught through sports,” he said. “I think sports put us in uncomfortable situations and adds an important level of adversity to life.”

“Growing up all I wanted to do is play sports,” he said. “I loved football, basketball, and baseball. John Devore was my high school baseball coach and he made me realize the importance of education as well as sports. I want to have the same influence on students’ lives as several of my coaches had on me.”

Matt credits his parents as one of his early and enduring influences. “They have been married for 60 years,” he said, “and serve as a lasting example to me and my family.” Matt is also quick to mention two life decisions that he considers to be the most significant: “Accepting Christ as my Savior and marrying my wife Darby,” he said without hesitation. “We are both educators and we have two beautiful daughters, Abigail (17) and Avery (11).”

Matt also readily acknowledges other ADs and administrators around the county. “Josh Matthews and Sherri Thoroughman, Donnie Griggers and Don Baker, former principal Phillip Page and current principal Matt Moody, have all been positive influences on me,” he said. “They all have great work ethics and are big-picture people.”

Matt brings a competitive fire to everything he does, on and off the field. “I hate to lose at anything,” he said. “I love winning and the feeling of accomplishment of success it gives you. But I also love what can be learned from losing and how it makes you work harder. It’s this, the competitive nature of athletics, that I love.”

Speaking of winning, Matt remembers well the state playoff team he coached in 2007-2008. “It was my second year as the Girls Basketball head coach,” he said. “North Cobb had not been to the state playoffs since 1967.” Another memorable accomplishment for him was the 2012-13 team, which was his final year as the coach. “We won the Region Championship and made it to the final four.”

But his proudest moment to date was when North Cobb received the Region 3-7A Sportsmanship Award in 2018-19. “That was a true reflection of what most people don’t get to see on a daily basis,” he said. “We have so many great staff members, as well as students at our school. Winning this award made me extremely proud of our school.”

QUICK-HITTER QUESTIONS:
Favorite food? Pizza
Favorite vacation or travel spot? Any beach that has great seafood.
Hidden talent? I am extremely handy and can build or fix almost anything. Also, most people would be surprised at my eye for décor.
Morning person or night owl? Morning person
First job? Worked with my brother-in-law who owns an electrical business. He taught me a lot of DIY skills.
What other profession would you like to attempt? Flipping houses